Category: Ethnographic Methods

Innerscope and Affectiva apply biometric and anthropometric techniques to consumer behavior

by timbatchelder, posted in Digital health, Ethnographic Methods, Health Informatics, Information Visualization, Linguistic Search, Network Science
2012 Behaviour Matrix copy
2012 Behaviour Matrix copy (Photo credit: Robin Hutton)

A basic principle of behavioral science (actually originally from anthropology) is that subjective measures of behavior such as surveys or interviews are almost always fraught with inaccuracies because people’s words and behaviors do not always align. Now,with the emergence of both the massive online data collection made possibly by the internet and also new biometric and anthropometric techniques of analyzing body language and physical behavior, scientists are finding that more reliable measures can be made which can be applied to consumer research, disrupting the foundation of market research taught in business school.

Marketers literally want to take consumers’ pulse – The Boston Globe.

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Bugs are the new sushi: Bug eating break throughs

by timbatchelder, posted in Digital health, Ethnographic Methods, Health Informatics, Systems Science
Dynastes neptunus (female), mounted; Audubon I...
Dynastes neptunus (female), mounted; Audubon Insectarium, New Orleans, US. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A number of bug food related ventures from small dinners to larger mail order businesses are popping up in the NY and Rhode Island areas. Take http://www.smallstockfoods.com/  a company providing bug food consulting and catering. Buggy fare has been featured at the Audubon Insectarium in New Orleans and at events like BugFest at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and Bug Bowl at Purdue University in Indiana.

Bug Eaters Try to Get Some Buzz – WSJ.com

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You are not a gadget: Considering the social side of new technologies

by timbatchelder, posted in Cognitive Science, Digital health, Ethnographic Methods, Linguistic Search
Jaron Lanier
Jaron Lanier (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A good critique of some of the risks and issues of today’s exploding use of online social media. Jaron Lanier argues it is creating a wealth of fake, fragmented social relationships, endlessly rehashed content and demeaning true human talents. And this is coming from a hardcore techie who developed VR. However his parents relocated to New Mexico from NYC to live in tents for much of his childhood so I suppose he has seen both sides of the coin…

Brain scan: The virtual curmudgeon | The Economist

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EvoFIT: Evolutionary science and anthropometrics applied to criminal facial recognition software

by timbatchelder, posted in Cognitive Science, Ethnographic Methods, Health Informatics, Linguistic Search, Security & Privacy
Anthropometric table of meausres for J K McCulloch
Anthropometric table of meausres for J K McCulloch (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For a long time the process of identifying suspects in criminal cases was a rather frighteningly imprecise one of line ups relying on human’s often variable ability to remember specific facial features. Now, using evolutionary and anthropometric sciences, this article shows how new software can allow identification using a gradual process of increased recognition more akin to the way we actually recognize people.

Monitor: Memory upgrade | The Economist.

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Biological Anthropologists search for Stress Vaccine

by timbatchelder, posted in Digital health, Ethnographic Methods, Health Informatics, Linguistic Search
American biologist and author Robert Sapolsky.
American biologist and author Robert Sapolsky. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Robert Sapolsky a bio anthropologist is leading the search for a stress vaccine using evolutionary science.

Under Pressure: The Search for a Stress Vaccine | Wired Magazine | Wired.com.

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Globe Trekker on breakfasts of the world

by timbatchelder, posted in Digital health, Ethnographic Methods, Health Informatics, Linguistic Search, Network Science, Systems Science
Thailand
Thailand (Photo credit: @Doug88888)

I rather like this show. In particular the breakfasts consumed around the world consist of foods that Starbucks sugar addled American brains would shudder to think. Most are well rounded meals high in protein, fiber, beneficial fats, probiotics, and micro nutrients such as pickled veggies and fish washed down with a beer (Thailand).

The official Globe Trekker website: Globe Trekker The Good and Bad Food Guide.

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Earthing: physical benefits of direct earth contact?

by timbatchelder, posted in Ethnographic Methods, Health Informatics, Metadata Masterdata

Recently everything from athletic shoes to magnets are being developed to tap into the growing interest in “earthing.” While it is hard to prove oe disprove the benefits biologically  this does seem to have attracted a strong following and I know I personally feel better when I am exposed to outdoor environments.  What do you think?

You’re Grounded — Mindful Living — Utne Reader.

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Sleep apnea treatment through ancient medicine

by timbatchelder, posted in Digital health, Ethnographic Methods, Network Science
Français : Schéma expliquant l'obstruction de ...
Français : Schéma expliquant l’obstruction de la ventilation dans le Syndrome d’apnées du sommeil (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tired of uncomfortable and ineffective Western treatments for the disease, some patients are turning to alternatives including playing of the Didgeridoo developed by Australian aborigines which is shown to reduce symptoms of sleep apnea.

Relief of Sleep Apnea can be found using CPAP devices, but compliance is low – WSJ.com.

Supernormal Stimuli: evolutionary basis of human behavior

by timbatchelder, posted in Digital health, Ethnographic Methods
A phylogenetic tree of living things.
A phylogenetic tree of living things. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Book Review: Supernormal Stimuli – WSJ.com.

Awesome new book on evolutionary anthropological basis of behavior

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The end of the office… and the future of work

by timbatchelder, posted in Digital health, Ethnographic Methods, Information Visualization, Knowledge Management
Image representing oDesk as depicted in CrunchBase
Image via CrunchBase

www.boston.com

So recently I’ve been taking a look at new forms of work including elance, odesk and of course well known micro-commerce sites like threadless, etsy, and those periodic sales on ebay… What is interesting is how this article shows these are all part of a larger shift in the way we work which encourages a more mobile, project based workforce.

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In the Next Industrial Revolution, Atoms Are the New Bits | Magazine

by timbatchelder, posted in Ethnographic Methods, Health Informatics, Knowledge Management, Systems Science

via www.wired.com

An interesting new article in Wired on the way that social networking, crowdsourcing and software driven, personal manufacturing is transforming the manufacturing of every type of good. Indeed the worlds of bit and atoms are merging at a rapid clip.

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Avatar Anthropology

by timbatchelder, posted in Ethnographic Methods, Knowledge Management
Cover of "Avatar (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Co...
Cover via Amazon

via news.discovery.com

A number of discussions have charted the peculiar syndrome that is accompanying the thousands of people worldwide who have seen the new film Avatar. Apparently the film’s extremely realistic yet idealistic environment and culture painstaking created by digital animators working closely with anthropologists, linguists and biologists hired by Cameron has resulted in a number of people actually believing that such a place can exist. This points to the future where humans will increasingly be connected to digital versions of reality so lifelike that it can be hard to separate from non-digital reality with interesting and sometimes disturbing consequences.

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