Semantic Search continues to attract interest and comment

Yet more on semantic search from people as diverse as Director of Finance Online and directtrafficmedia: 8 out of 10 decision makers indicate that semantic technology is having a significant effect on the sector. Attendees at the European Semantic Technology Conference can get the latest on semantic search from Yahoo! and hakia, amongst others.

Semantic Tech News Roundup

Semantic technology continues to be a hot news item. Before I went away I did a series of press interviews here in the UK which added to the news headlines out there. I also found some time to exchange emails with Paul Miller who's a great source of news and views about what's happening with semantic technology generally. In addition, Peter Mika at Yahoo! Barcelona has written an interesting article on semantic search. What with Microsoft's acquisition of Powerset, the Thomson-Reuters launch of Calais and the recent launch of an array of start-ups, semantic technology is starting to attract significant investment.

Getting Semantic Tech out of the Lab

First day back from my vacation and preparing for the ESTC event later next month in Vienna. Gathering up information that supports the event's contention that semantic technology is breaking out of the lab and into the commercial world, I drew up the following list:

- Information company Thomson Reuters uses semantic technology to automatically process news stories and feed features directly into algorithmic trading

- Chemical giant BASF uses semantic technology to search for alternatives to animal testing

- Airplane maker Airbus uses the technology in wing design

- The Italian Ministry of Culture and Heritage uses it to provide automated responses to tourist enquiries via SMS. Tourists can text questions e.g. about museum opening times in everyday language and receive a rapid reply on their mobile phones

It's in no particular order but it's a good taster of how semantic technology is going to be applied in a wider variety of applications than previously assumed. Most if not all of these companies will be speaking and/or attending ESTC, which has just published its final programme.