Big data analytics is changing the daily life of everyone. It has integrated so much with the modern lifestyle that people cannot live without big data. Here is an article on how big data is moving the everyday world.
1) Mobile maps and GPS
GPS mapping systems are getting better day by day. Only car-based transit routes were provided before. However, big data analytics has helped to get more detailed transit routes, with options for public transportation transit routes and cycling transit routes. Some developed cities may even provide intermodal transit routes which will be faster between two places.
2) Big Data Analytics in Online Shopping
Retailers use big data from the moment customers begin to search for products. They deliver targeted advertisements all the way to product delivery. Big data is everywhere in online shopping, right from observing browsing history to tracking GPS data. It helps the retailers to target their customers with effective advertisements. Tracking web clicks along with demographic and location information allows retailers to consolidate customer data from other shoppers enabling dynamic segmentation and online retail success.
Big data is also changing retail space. For example, Nordstrom Local is a neighborhood service hub that offers customers access to Nordstrom products and services in a location convenient to them. The area of a store is around 3,000 square feet. The stores also include dressing rooms. And personal stylists retrieve goods from other Nordstrom locations too.
Big data helps retailers in fast transport of goods. Customers can shop online, then go to the store, try things on, check them out, and then purchase them. They can either walk out with the item or have it delivered their place.
3) Traffic Management
Underground transportation systems use big data analytics solutions to monitor the flow of passengers. The solutions use data from ticketing systems when people enter or exit a train. Transport operators use those details to evaluate peak ridership times. Then, they adjust the number of cars available on the tracks in specific areas and at specific times of the day. Delays or accidents are also reported to the passengers so they can change their travel plans accordingly. This is very useful in cities with high population.
4) Energy Consumption
Big data based smart meters help to regulate energy consumption. These smart meters collect data from sensors in the neighborhood. They determine where the energy ebbs and flows are maximum at any point of time. Then, the energy is redistributed across the entire grid as per the requirements. Smart meters automatically adjust energy supply to ensure maximum efficiency. These devices may seem expensive now, but they will become the new norm soon.
5) Wearables
Wearing a device that monitors physical activity and sleep contributes to big data. It is a great way to maintain health and fitness. Wearables also help to track and improve fitness levels. People used to write things down in journals to track their physical activities or their daily calorie intake levels. However, they can now monitor themselves to ensure healthy habits with a technology-changing lifestyle.
6) Big Data Analytics in Logistics
Modern-day logistic operations is not always completely visible to the public, but the end results impacts them a lot. Airlines use big data analytics solutions to schedule flights, predict delays based on weather data and estimate the demand required based on competition, seasonal fluctuations, latest societal trends, and events. Also, the solutions predict the number of planes required in the future.
Delivery companies such as DHL and FedEx use big data to improve their delivery times, leading to better operational efficiencies. Customers get correct delivery estimates even in case of international shipments. This is impossible without analyzing large volumes of data.
7) Face Recognition
Facial recognition algorithms were designed almost a decade ago. Before they would often mistake the human face for something else. Now the algorithms have improved and now it is close to perfect. Modern computers and smartphones have face unlock features wherein it can even recognize twins. Moving forward, facial recognition can act as a tool for law enforcement.
8) Self-Driving Cars
Driverless cars considered a dream earlier is possible today because of big data processing. It is estimated that one driverless car produces around 1 gigabytes of data each second. This sums up to petabytes of data every year.
Self-driving cars also use data from other cars apart from the sensors, radar, ultrasonic sensors, video cameras, and GPS. The data helps the navigation system to build an up-to-date roadmap, like Google Maps’ navigation system. Besides, machine learning solutions help the driverless cars to predict critical situation. For this reason, every self-driving car enterprise is putting their cars on the streets to explore more before starting the mass production.
9) Music, Shows, and Movies
Online music streaming has revolutionized the music industry. Most people use at least one music streaming service. Companies such as Spotify and Pandora use big data solutions to track what music listeners like and deliver customized experiences. Pandora personalizes the consumer experience through its music genome project, which is one of the most comprehensive initiative to analyze music. On the other hand, Spotify offers weekly personalized playlists to its users.
Movie and television streaming networks have started to produce content on their own. They also use big data to determine the type of content to produce in the future. Big data led Netflix to create more original content like the hit series Stranger Things, leading the company to new directions and better consumer experiences.
10) Big Data Analytics in Public Policy and Safety
Fire and police departments use big data solutions to help develop new policies and implement them. Law enforcement agencies are working proactively rather than waiting for crime to happen. A network of mobile devices, computers, cameras, sensors contribute to big data, so the police can track incidents in real-time and dispatch personnel effectively. International law enforcement organizations rely on global big data analysis to drive campaigns and stop global terrorism.
Data collected from emergency vehicle GPS, surveillance systems, and fire and smoke detectors help fire departments to respond more quickly to fire emergencies. Also, the fire officials identify high risk areas, conduct safety checks, and follow better preventive measures.
11) News and Information
Big data impacts news coverage at an extensive scale. Big data is everywhere in the news cycle, right from the earliest reporting to the social media comments.
News reporters use social media to gather data and shape their reports. Twitter is a trending platform where major news is reported first by users within seconds. Reporters search for news from specific time periods and specific geographies. Then, they use those insights to prepare their reports. Data processing algorithms find the most talked stories and push them to the front of both social media sites and news aggregators.
12) Big Data Analytics in Education and Employment
Big data influences both college admissions and hiring practices. Many colleges and universities depend on statistical programs to identify the best students and improve their graduation rates. Also, the big data analytics process involves prediction algorithms to determine the success ratios of both students and educational institutions.
Employers use big data solutions to improve their hiring processes. They depend on big data services that integrate large volumes of data and identify candidates most likely to excel in specific jobs.