AI Ireland with Mark Kelly

In today’s podcast, we are joined by Lara Kelly, Head of Data Analytics at HealthBeacon. Founded in 2014 by Jim Joyce (CEO) and Kieran Daly (CTO),  HealthBeacon are an Irish Digital Health Company who develop smart tools for managing medication. In the podcast Lara talks about: How HealthBeacon is using digital technologies to improve patient’s lives across the globe. The challenge to tackling one key area of patient health The SMART tools HealthBeacon has developed to manage medication. The AI applications that the HB Data Labs team is working on The future of the Healthcare industry

In today's podcast, we are joined by Tiago de Melo Malaquias, R&D Data Scientist at STATSports and Peter Lougheed Small, Medium and Corporate Sales Director at Microsoft. In today’s show, we will be discussing how STATSports is leveraging data to improve performance with sporting teams around the world and how they have effectively utilised the cloud to provide additional services to WOW their customers. Topics covered: Overview of STATSports and some of the high profile Clubs around the world utilising their services Working on Data Science Projects that can have a big impact on and off the field The three key insights that enabled Sporting Clube de Portugal in winning the Portuguese League How STATSports continue to scale and grow by utilising the cloud to provide a platform for growth

In today’s podcast, we are joined by Edmond Harty, Professor at UCD and former CEO of Dairymaster, and Brian Mullan, Principal Data Scientist and Analytics Manager at Microsoft Ireland. In today’s discussion, we will hear how AI and cloud technology are being used as an enabler within the Agriculture sector to provide improved customer service and sustainability. In the episode, you will hear about: Overview of TerrainAI, a Microsoft and SFI co-funded €5m climate change project The journey to utilizing technology as an enabler within the agriculture industry Recent Agritech case studies on the island of Ireland

In today’s show, we are joined by Elaine Robinson, Analytics Manager at the ESB and Kieran McCorry, National Technology Officer at Microsoft Ireland. In today’s discussion, we will hear how AI and cloud technology are being used to help with the rollout of the National SMART meters across Ireland. Topics include: An overview of the goals and objectives of the SMART project How the ESB Networks have used AI technology and Azure Cloud Platform as an enabler to increase the rollout success of SMART Metering The benefits of evidence-based decision making, agility, and examples of other AI applications across the Public Sector The Future of the Smart Grid

In the final part of our two-part series with VRAI, we are joined by Dr. Brian McNamee from the UCD School of Computer Science, Niall Campion Director and Founder of VRAI and Kelvin Keane, WE Startup & Partner Manager at Microsoft Startups Ireland. We will be going under the hood of the technical innovations at VRAI, how VRAI are using technology as an enabler for their customer's success and the partnership with academia and industry to provide an innovative service to their customers. Topics include: How VRAI are using technology as an enabler for their customer’s success. The partnership with Academia and Industry to provide an innovative service. The benefits from working with Microsoft for startups and how to reach out.

Today’s guests are Pat O’Connor, Managing Director and Co-Founder of VRAI, and Bibhas Bhattacharya, Business Group Leader of Microsoft Azure in Ireland. VRAI are creating data-driven VR simulation training for high hazard environments. They have created HEAT, which combines authentic virtual training environments with cutting-edge data capture and analytics capability. HEAT allows organizations whose activities are Risky, Remote or Rare to train in a more authentic, memorable and measurable way. In the podcast, we cover: How VRAI started. What business problems are they addressing through data and VR Simulation to provide authentic and memorable training experiences for employees. How important is Security and Trust while choosing a Hyper-Scale cloud partner (Microsoft – Azure). Why a Build vs Buy decision is so important for start-ups to consider. How Microsoft for Startups has helped VRAI through this journey.

Today's guest is Wynton Moore, Senior Data Scientist at Three Ireland. Launched in 2005, Three is now one of Ireland’s largest mobile operators. Three strives to provide their customers with a better-connected life through meaningful products, best-in-class service and a connected network experience. In the episode, Wynton shares: An overview of his New Zealand background & how a passion for traditional music brought him to Ireland Overview of the data science team and projects at Three Ireland Arranmore Island - IOT Proof of Concept Project Why Data Science is the Future of the Telecommunications industry

In today's episode, our guests are Dr. Jamie McGann and Dr. Johann Issartel, who are the co-founders of MoveAhead, a university spin-out company from DCU and the ADAPT Centre. Their mission is to transform the way children interact with technology by powering third-party EdTech, digital games and movement learning experiences that get young people moving the ‘right’ way. MoveAhead is motivated by the results of their widely published studies which found that modern children are increasingly sedentary and have poorly developed movement skills. This has serious consequences for both health and cognitive outcomes. MoveAhead tackles this issue by marrying a deep understanding of how children move, with state-of-the-art computer vision, machine learning and AI techniques. In this episode, Johann and Jamie discuss: How MoveAhead came about The importance of movement development in childhood The factors impacting skill acquisition for the current generation The affordances that their tech has to offer Future goals for the company

In today’s episode, we discuss the University of Limerick’s part-time and online Masters in Artificial Intelligence, Ireland’s largest masters programme in AI, with the course director Dr. Pepijn (Pep) van de Ven. UL started this Masters programme in the autumn of 2018 in close collaboration with ICT Skillnet, ICHEC and a large number of Irish industries with an interest in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. This programme is unique in Ireland in that it was developed fully from scratch based on industry needs and requirements for upskilling the Irish workforce in AI and machine learning. Moreover, the programme was developed with fully online delivery in mind and this has shown to be a key strength of the programme. It may be of interest to our listeners to know that the UL MSc in AI starts with a Certificate in AI that is delivered together with ICHEC. This Certificate forms an integral part of the masters but results in a separate qualification. It allows participants to dip a toe in the water before committing to the full masters programme. In this certificate, students will take part in two modules, which prepare them for the rest of the masters, but also provide a good overview of what it means to work with machine learning. This Certificate also allows UL to consider candidates that may not normally have access to a masters degree programme and many students have made use of this opportunity already. In this podcast, some past and current students also provide feedback on the programme. Prof Mike O’Riordain, one of the students from the first cohort who graduated recently, speaks of the importance of peer interaction and how such interaction is fostered within the programme. He also mentions the unique ethics element of the UL course and that students should be prepared to work hard, but that UL supports students with a well-structured programme. Fabiola Faria, a current student on the programme tells me about the opportunity she has had in the Certificate part of the course to learn about Python and refresh her maths skills and knowledge. She also has some good advice regarding the necessity to have a good study plan and keep time for family and friends. Colin Byrne, who also recently graduated from the course, mentions the opportunities he believes the Masters in AI will give him in his career and speaks of how the UL course supported him in getting back into the routine of studying after 20 years in industry. Colin is also very positive about how the UL course makes peer learning and communication central to the learning experience and sees this as a big plus for the UL course. You can learn more about UL’s part-time, online Masters in AI on the UL website at: www.ul.ie/gps/artificial-intelligence-msc-online or by contacting Pep at pepijn.vandeven@ul.ie. As students on this course are normally entitled to Skillnet funding, please also check www.ictskillnet.ie/training/national-msc-in-artificial-intelligence-online/ for information on this financial support. Applications for this programme will open in June 2021.

In this special episode, host & founder of AI Ireland Mark Kelly is joined by Ken Finnegan CEO at Tangent - Trinity College Dublin’s Ideas Workspace as well as Allan Beechinor & Niamh Parker, co-founders at Altada Technology Solutions as they discuss the launch of the Alsessor AI Accelerator. Tangent and Altada have formed a partnership to create an accelerator program supporting early-stage start-ups and entrepreneurs in the growth and commercialisation of their businesses. This partnership aims to ultimately embed the initiative in the AI start-up ecosystem and create cornerstones for ambitious, global-reaching businesses. In the show, you will learn more about: The motivation for setting up the Allessor AI Accelerator The goal of bridging the gap between PoC to AI in production The partners that have helped bring it all together How to successfully apply and scale AI in your business What they look for in applicants to join Alsessor Sectors that will benefit the most from the accelerator programme Tangent and Altada's specific roles in helping to build Alsessor The importance of data privacy How you can get involved Alsessor is now inviting applications for the program which will run for a consecutive five months starting in January 2021, with at least 18 face to face gatherings by way of organised workshops and events. Applications are open until December 18th, 2020. Applications can be requested and submitted via email apply@alsessorai.com or visit their website www.alsessorai.com to find out more.