Ciara Byrne

Ciara Byrne is a full time techie and part-time writer. She has worked as a software developer, team lead, engineering manager and mobile standards expert. She is based in Amsterdam, and her interests include clean tech, mhealth, emerging markets, European startups and cycling in high heels.

The hidden language and "wonderful experience" of product reviews

Panagiotis Ipeirotis on the phrases and formatting of effective product reviews.

How much is an Amazon review — good or bad — worth? Computer scientist and NYU professor Panagiotis Ipeirotis analyzed the text in thousands of Amazon reviews to find out.

Big crime meets big data

Data and social media are being used against us in creative new ways.

Marc Goodman, consultant and cyber crime expert, explains how criminals and terrorists can put data, automation, and scalability to effective use.

The smart grid data deluge

Why smart metering is just the first wave of the power grid's data revolution.

The smart grid is an information revolution for utilities, and the first line of the information the grid uses will come from smart meters. EMeter's Aaron DeYonker discusses meter use and data applications in this interview.

Dating with data

OkCupid CEO Sam Yagan on how data shapes the dating business.

OkCupid relies on math, data, and revealed preferences (what you do, not what you say) to distinguish itself in the crowded dating world.

Algorithms are the new medical tests

How data and algorithms help doctors make use of real-time data.

Predictive Medical Technologies says its new system can use real-time, intensive care unit monitoring data to predict cardiac arrest and other events up to 24 hours ahead of time. CEO Bryan Hughes discusses the system and the application of diagnostic data in this interview.

With M2M, the machines do all the talking

Machine-to-machine applications: what they are, what they do, and why they need their own networks.

In machine-to-machine communications, devices and sensors connect with each other or a central server rather than with human beings. Two M2M experts discuss M2M's applications in this interview.

Trading on sentiment

Sentiment analysis gives algorithmic trading an edge

Sorting through thousands of news stories and categorizing information based on mood and tone creates useful data points for financial systems.

Plugging water leaks with data

TaKaDu uses existing sensors and data analysis to make water companies more efficient.

Water companies need data analysis tools to find and repair costly leaks. Enter Israeli startup TaKaDu, which offers water infrastructure monitoring as a service.