June 2021 Meeting – Carbon Footprint Digital Assistant – Carby

Register for the June 10 meeting.

Join us as ITKAN continues its journey on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science with a presentation by data science / machine learning award-winning practitioner Kevin Hartman. He will discuss and demonstrate Carby, an app that provides consumers quick access to information about the products we choose related to their impact on our environment simply by snapping a photo! Using the power of Ai, Carby will reveal the product’s carbon score and suggest lower impact alternatives if they exist.

The team that Kevin is part of recently won the World Innovation Day Hackathon, an international competition to demonstrate the creative use of technology to address our global challenges in achieving a more sustainable future. See the app and learn how the team plans to build Carby into a production-capable system that includes more Ai models and an automated data pipeline.

DATE AND TIME
Thu, June 10, 2021
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM CDT

LOCATION
On-line

Kevin Hartman is a fastidious problem solver, an expressive communicator, and a career learner. He loves solving complex problems using technology and data, turning the result into something simple and effortless. His specialty is formulating high-impact solutions that leverage technology innovation. From this passion he became versed in the skills of Product Management, Software Engineering and Data Science, and has education in all three. He has inspired, influenced, and led the creation of hundreds of digital products; working from both inside and alongside teams of researchers, scientists, designers, engineers and enthusiasts.

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March 2019 Meeting – Tech’s Impact on Agriculture

Register for the March 14th meeting.

Join us on March 14 as ITKAN dives deeper into the Netflix techumentary series Liquid Science with Tech’s Growing Impact on Agriculture and the Built Environment. The Midwest is renowned for our soil, crop yields and feeding the world, but in the face of more unpredictable weather, increasing moisture, and rising global temperatures the agricultural industry as well as urban centers are turning to tech as an ally to adjust how farmers and city/suburb dwellers alike are adjusting to these dramatic shifts.

Microsoft and other tech giants have made increasingly significant investments in this critical global dynamic in areas of AI, Big Data and supporting the growing sophistication of farming methods to help feed the world. We’ll look at how their framework AI for Earth can optimize the use of arable land in the face of environmental change. Jim Angel, recently retired State Climatologist for IL and professor at UIUC, will join us to discuss the technology associated with gathering data for the recent Midwest section of an environmental impact report. Closer to home, Chicago’s Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) is helping to address the impact that more volatile, wet weather patterns have on Chicago and other large urban environments through programs like Rain Ready.

With spring around the corner this is a timely topic. Join us as ITKAN gets closer to the land we love, and the tech we love!

Jim Angel, Illinois State Climatologist, worked at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) since 1997. As state climatologist, Angel conducted research projects on topics related to weather and climate, particularly drought, extreme rainfall events, Great Lakes storms, and weather impacts. He also maintained an extensive archive of historical climate data dating back to the mid-1800s.

March 14, 2019
5-7:00 p.m.

Where
Aon Tower
Microsoft Technology Center
200 E Randolph Street, 2nd floor
Chicago, IL 60601

June 2018 Meeting – Artificial Intelligence

Register for the June 14th meeting.

In June’s ITKAN meeting Adam Hecktman, Microsoft’s Director of Technology & Civic Innovation Chicago, will lead us in a discussion of artificial intelligence and its many evolving applications.

Advancements in technology can be a force multiplier in unlocking solutions for some of the biggest challenges facing society. That’s why artificial intelligence (AI) is being applied towards unlocking solutions as diverse as driving customer satisfaction to addressing climate issues facing our planet. AI can be a game changer for people with disabilities. Already we’re witnessing this as people with disabilities expand their use of computers to hear, see and reason with impressive accuracy. Microsoft has been working on better solutions supporting PwD such as real-time speech-to-text transcription, visual recognition services and predictive text functionality. AI advances like these offer enormous potential by enabling people with vision, hearing, cognitive, learning and mobility disabilities to further advance in three specific areas: employment, modern life and human connection.  What is AI?  Where did it come from? What are the issues we need to be aware of to ensure that AI works to benefit, not to harm. Join us as we explore this fascinating topic!

June 14, 2018
5-7:00 p.m.

Where
Aon Tower
Microsoft Technology Center
200 E Randolph Street, 2nd floor
Chicago, IL 60601