Personalization: Proof of Power to the People

I recently wrote a post on how the individuals modern day desktop and browser are proof that the people have the power. IT departments have implicitly agreed that "one size does not fit all" as Chris Anderson (Wired Editor) stated a recent Cisco conference.

Check out my post at Mercury Technology Labs.

http://mercurytechlabs.blogspot.com/2006/12/power-to-people-definitely.html

Best Blogs for Non-Profits to Track

As I am the chairman of a non-profit I try to keep up with new methods to improve our enterprise. I recently read the Dec. 2006/Jan 2007 issue of Fast Company. On page 44, Michael A. Prospero wrote about the best blogs for non-profits to track.

If you didn't get a chance to see the recommendations for your non-profit, here is a brief break down.

Donor Power Blog: http://www.donorpowerblog.com/
Jeff Brooks writes on how smart business strategies can be applied in the realm of the non-profit world.

Blog on Non-Profit Advertising: http://blogger.xs4all.nl/marcg
Marc van Gurp collects inventive video clips and print ads for non-profits from around the world.

Philanthropy in the Year 2173: http://philanthropy.blogspot.com
Lucy Bernholz writes a round-up and analysis of emerging trends for non-profits.

For the full article on the Best Blogs for Non-Profits visit the Fast Company website(http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/111/next-best-blogs.html). Rest assured the non-profit I help, Lantana Projects (http://www.lantanaprojects.org/) will be looking at these periodically.

James Clar Offer 3D Cube at Reduced Price

For those of you who were waiting for the price to drop on the 3D Display Cube made by James Clar and Associates, wait no longer. They now retail for $1799.

Visit http://www.jamesclar.com/store/3dcubewhite/index.html to place your order. There are only 15 left! The company doesn't expect to get another shipment until after the turn of the year -- too late for the holidays.

Rollable Displays

At the 2006 Microsoft Business Forum in Moscow, Bill Gates focused interest on displays that can be rolled-up and stuffed in a pocket with his prediction that they are just a few years away.  These predictions are not far fetched based upon the the work done by MIT spin off E Ink and continued work by Phillips (using some of the E Ink Technology) and others to make the vision a reality.  Another related developer is Polymer Vision.

One to Watch: Eleksen

Surfing the web today looking for some new sensor technology and came across Eleksen. Eleksen created the world's first 100% fabric sensors that enable wearable computing, command and control systems, and other accessories for the technophiles.

One solid example of the application of their technology is the G-Tech Wireless Smartphone Keyboard. It is a Bluetooth-enabled full laptop-sized Qwerty keyboard made of fabric that can hence be rolled up and stuffed into a pocket. Eleksen says it is compatible with most devices offered by BlackBerry, Nokia, Palm and Microsoft making it a great alternative to tiny thumb pad Qwertys. It's waterproof, so you don't need to worry about the spills that would normally cripple your whole laptop. Check out www.eleksen.com.

Documenting Eric Mathews Articles in the Memphis Business Journal

I'm catching up tracking the articles in which I have been quoted or
mentioned. This is the listing that the Memphis Business Journal has
online for me. I had a lot in 2006 but they date back as far as 2002.
It looks like 28 to date in this outlet.

FedEx Institute veterans launch venture to bring intellectual property to market, 2006.10.16 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

Latest Top 40 under 40 winners represent up-and-coming young professionals, 2006.10.02 Andy Ashby, The Memphis Business Journal

Comcast on its way to smooth landing in Memphis, officials hope for easy transition, 2006.09.25 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

National Science Foundation grant boosts nanotechnology research at FedEx Institute, 2006.08.14 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

Technology programs aimed at principals, high school students, 2006.07.31 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

Grant to drive interest in computer science, 2006.07.24 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

FedEx Institute makes move toward building bioinformatics program, 2006.07.10 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

Two more hatched: Emerge Memphis lands new companies, new board members 2006.06.12 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

FedEx Institute launches center: Research will focus on advanced nanosystems, 2006.05.29 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

NanoTect wows contest judges: Business plan rewarded with funds, free services, 2006.04.10 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

Applicants sought for business plan contest at U of M, 2006.01.23 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

FedEx Institute launches Technology Business Plan competition, 2006.01.16 Scott Shepard, The Memphis Business Journal

FedEx invests $5 million for development of four research centers on U of M campus, 2006.01.09 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

Verizon picks Memphis among first cities to introduce wireless broadband network, 2005.12.19 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

Nanotechnology captures imagination, 2005.11.14 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

Cash flow projects: NSF, NIH deliver nearly $2 million for FedEx Institute research, 2005.09.19 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

FedEx Institute's robot captivates visitors to 'Wired' NextFest 2005.07.04, Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

Value added: MBI adds service focus after 9/11 to keep business strong, 2005.04.04 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

Private money filters down to students at Institute, 2005.03.07 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

Left behind: Technology sees the music biz in the rearview mirror, 2005.01.31 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

A.I. researchers struggle with human toll of automation, 2005.01.31 John Scruggs, The Memphis Business Journal

Street Talk, 2005.01.17 Scott Shepard, The Memphis Business Journal

FedEx Institute gaining solid reputation for research acumen, 2004.12.13 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

Glowing reviews: U of M's FedEx Institue of Technology surpassing expectations, 2004.11.15 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

MIT professor to direct special projects at FedEx Institute, 2004.11.15 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

FedEx Institute testing Palm technology, 2004.04.05 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

U of M seeks $50 million NSF grant, 2004.02.02 Scott Shepard, The Memphis Business Journal

U of M starts new company for research inventions, 2004.02.02 Scott Shepard, The Memphis Business Journal

FedEx Institute lands exclusive DoD laboratory, 2003.09.15 Michael Sheffield, The Memphis Business Journal

Mercury Technology Labs Article

We recently had this article published on our launch.

"FedEx Institute veterans launch venture to bring intellectual property to market"

by Michael Sheffield

Memphis Business Journal

October 13, 2006

http://memphis.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2006/10/16/story13.html

Update on Activities

Mercury Technology Labs continues to move forward.

We have almost finished milestone 1 with our Fortune 100 client. That means that we can get paid, which is good news. We have come across some real opportunties technologically. Technologies people will need but they just don't know it yet.

James Clar has continued engaging in dialog with potential distributers of his products and has a few YouTube posting of his NextFest 2006 Exhibit. He also exihibited at Pop!Tech 2006.

Our other two companies are progressing. This week we final settle into an agreement on roles for our bioinformatics firm setting us up to move it forward as quickly as we can. For our nano firm our hold up is technology protection and teachnology transfer. It has moved painfully slow. Going forward for the forseeable future with these two clients our only hold back will be in the legal/business agreement arena. How fast can the lawyers enable us to move things to the next level? We'll see.

In other news Mercury Technology Labs had an article published launching our company. Check out the Memphis Business Journal - October 13, 2006. Thanks to Michael Sheffield for the coverage.

Recent Quote in the Memphis Business Journal

I recently commented on meeting customer needs for media content delivery. The article in the Memphis Business Journal on September 22, 2006 "Comcast on its way to smooth landing in Memphis, officials hope for easy transition" by Michael Sheffield, stated:

Eric Mathews, former director of the FedEx Institute of Technology at the University of Memphis and founder of Mercury Technology Labs, says "the growth of On Demand shows that cable providers are listening to the demands of consumers.

"What is very clear is that consumers have spoken. It's an On Demand world and who provides the content is a point of competition now," Mathews says. "Who will win in the future remains to be seen."

For more on the article visit:
http://memphis.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2006/09/25/focus6.html

Incenting People to Index or Do Tasks

I recently engaged in a dialog with a friend of mine on incenting people to index or tag items for you on the web to create powerful repositories. It expanded to include incenting people to do just about anything.

So I tried out Mechanical Turk to see about the current practices. I quickly found that the incentives aren't there.

I recently got a message from Mechanical Turk documenting my 15 mins of effort and how much that netted me in value returned for my time.

What do you think? Worth it?

>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>From: Mechanical Turk <mturk-noreply@amazon.com >
>Date: 22 Oct 2006 00:03:48 -0700
>Subject: Your Weekly Worker Activity Report
>To: Eric C Mathews
>
>Greetings from Amazon Mechanical Turk,

>The following is a summary of activity for your Mechanical Turk account for
>the week ending Oct 21, 2006.
>
>Your HIT activity for this week:
>- Number of HITs accepted: 7
>- Number of HITs returned: 0
>- Number of HITs abandoned: 0
>- Number of HITs submitted: 7
>
>Approvals and payments that occurred this week:
>- Number of HITs approved: 1
>- Number of HITs rejected: 0
>- HIT reward earned: $0.02
>- Total Amount earned this week: $0.02
>
>For more information about your account status and activity, sign in to
>http://mturk.amazon.com/, then view your "Dashboard".
>
>Sincerely,
>Amazon Mechanical Turk
>http://mturk.amazon.com/
>1200 12TH AVE South, SUITE 1200
>SEATTLE, WA 98144-2734 USA
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fantastic . . . Now I have two pennies to use on Amazon. Unfortunately, I don't see these systems taking off unless the incentives change. I realize that Amazon isn't setting the incentives for all the tasks but they are not setting a high bar either.

If anyone has come across a system with better incentives, please let me know. I'd be interested in studying it.

In My View: Web Business Changes

Business value delivery will continue to change as a result of the advent of Web 2.0 and within the next decade Web 3.0 Business. We are already seeing a dramatic shift in value and money to web business and even within web business we are seeing a shift in business models.

Empowering consumers/individuals (decentralizing of the power and control) is one of the hallmarks of Web 2.0 and with this shift, the business models are changing. Empowerment is already taking shape as consumers have the power to repurpose content and services in new and unique ways. Hierarchical systems of industrial business will give way to self-organizing decentralized systems that are open and extensible -- consumers are eagerly embracing collaboration this will extend to business and value creation. Users building businesses and new value on top of Web 2.0 offerings at scale will demonstrate Web 2.0 maturity (essentially businesses on top of web 2.0 businesses).

Top 40 under 40 Winner

I'm being honored as one of the Top 40 Under 40 in Memphis, TN this year. Crazy.

Latest Top 40 under 40 winners represent up-and-coming young professionals

Published: October 2, 2006

For the 10th consecutive year, 40 young professionals under the age of 40 have been selected as some of the best and brightest the Bluff City has to offer.

To continue reading, go to: http://memphis.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2006/10/02/story4.html?b=1159761600^1352613&surround=etf

James Clar's Store is Up and Running: 3D Cube for Sale

We are happy to announce the official launch of James Clar + Associates Online Store, making available to you a selection of our most recognized designs as well as future productions! And, for our initial product release we present to you the award-winning 3D Display Cube ! Previously available only through galleries, each 3D Display Cube contains 1000 LEDs soldered in a patented wiring matrix configuration that allows users to display spatial typography and 3D animations. No computer is nessecary to run the 3D Cube and multiple Cubes can be linked together to create a larger 3D Display. Whether used for retail or public display, signage applications, home display, or advertising, the 3D Cube captivates viewers with it's original use of LED technology. Available now from James Clar + Associates. www.JamesClar.com www.JamesClar.com/store/

Industrial Robotics Key Data 2005

IFR: International Federation of Robotics

For those of you interested in robotics, key facts on their increased presence are found at this web site:

http://www.ifr.org/statistics/keyData2005.htm

 

 

Update on Fortune 100 Client

This week is our first week of work at our Fortune 500 (Global 200) Client -- we are examining R&D and technologies.  As we do this we find an amazing amount of obstacles within the organization that paralyze innovation as well as commercialization of technologies.  The technologies and ideas present in the R&D settings would leap frog the organization beyond current competitors.  Our client is literally sitting on millions/billions of dollars of revenue and profit.  We are tasked with figuring out get solid and worthy technologies out the door.

 

As stated in previous posts, we are seeing that social networking tools, GIS, and sensors are the way of the future.  However, our client will not be able to capitalize on the opportunities anytime soon.  That means there exists big opportunities for start-ups and that our firm, Mercury Technology Labs, has tremendous opportunities ahead.