An Interview with Joseph A. di Paolantonio

Joseph A. di Paolantonio

Independent Researcher at DataArchon/SAEIoT

Key Topics:Internet of Things, data management & analytics, data engineering and data science, sensor analytics ecosystems, Complex System of Systems, IIoT, Digital Twins, Data Management and Analytics, Data Engineering, Data Science, Bayesian Methods

Location:Pacific NorthWest, USA

Bio:

Joseph is an independent researcher, influencer, and consultant with over 20 years of experience in the Internet of Things. He built upon his experience with complex systems in renewable energy, aerospace, data management, analytics, and IoT systems to create the “Many Cs” maturity model for IoT. Using an adoption and ethics framework of cultural, regulatory, economic, political, and environmental factors, he helps organizations evolve into valuable Sensor Analytics Ecosystems that flexibly provide privacy, transparency, security, and convenience by design. Joseph is a member of the BBBT, IoT Community, and was recently featured in Onalytica’s Who’s Who in IoT report.

Joseph has been recently featured in Onalytica's Who is Who in IoT report.

How did you get to become an expert in your key topics?

In 2000, the F100 company for whom I worked spun off the professional services group that I headed, as a new company. One of our board members suggested that I partner with a friend of his who had started an RFID company, to investigate using this technology for asset tracking, and incorporating the data into the enterprise data warehouse we were building to span their 40 operating companies. Over the next several years, we became more involved in helping customers understand and incorporate connected sensor data. These projects were for both corporate and government organizations, and included supply chain, transportation, healthcare, agriculture, and cities/counties. After careers in renewable energy research, aerospace system engineering, and data management & analytics — I realized that the IoT and the data technologies to support it, as a complex system or ecosystem, brought together all my previous interests/career tracks.

What sub-topics are you most passionate about?

There are many, among them:

– Ethical adoption of new technologies

– Causal Inference – Graph Technology

– Causal Digital Twins – Nanotechnology sensors

– Energy harvesting for connected devices

– Robotics

But, I am most passionate about the use of causal inference in machine learning, and from this, in causal digital twins. Causation is the fifth step in our maturity model. It is a necessary step, both to bring full value from IoT systems, and for artificial narrow intelligence to approach general artificial intelligence; these being the understanding of the many interactions that are needed for sustainable, valuable sensor analytics ecosystems. Causal Digital Twins will also be very important in creating secure SmartRegions where the citizens, workers, and visitors feel safe without surveillance.

Who influences you on these topics?

Amy Hodler, Stacey Higginbotham, Peggy Smedley, Claudia Imhoff, John Morada, Sotiris Karagiannis, Ali Rebaie, Jon Walton, Donald Farmer, Shyam Varan Nath, Kirk D. Borne, Dave Bartlett, Charlie Isaacs, PG Madhavan, Ajit Jaokar, Julian Hyde, Tom Barber, Lance Walter, Kenneth Epps, Dr. Judea Pearl, Stefanie Hane, Remco Broekmans, C Z Doval Santos, and many more.

What challenges are brands facing in this space?

The very broadness of the space is the challenge. If you bring an horizontal IoT platform or Digital Twin solution to market, can you sell it to factories, cities, hospitals, logistics companies, transportation companies, and everyone else? If you bring a specific product to market, is it more than a feature to be acquired? Also, as I’ll mention elsewhere … there are numerous players in every aspect and layer of the IoT as there are in data management & analytics. Differentiation without over-promising is very difficult. There are also the challenges associated with providing privacy, transparency, security and safety, conveniently to organizations and individuals so that they are comfortable deploying and using your product.

What do you think the future holds in this space?

The IoT will disappear! No, not go away…think Michael Moorcock’s The Dancers at the End of Time SF series that embodies Arthur C. Clarke’s third law “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”. The concepts of the IoT will be everywhere. The advantages brought through AI augmented IoT will be everywhere. But, only if we approach the adoption of these complex system technologies through an understanding of, and iterative evolution with cultural, regulatory, economic, political and environmental impact.

What brands are leading the way in this space?

Just as the IoT and AI are broad concepts, a vast number of companies are working on platforms, features and products. Looking at brands from the value their offerings bring, looking at individuals working on those offerings and organizations using them, would still yield a large list. Without being comprehensive, I like what Microsoft is doing with their Azure IoT, Edge and Digital Twins, and what Hitachi Vantara is doing with Lumada. I also am very impressed with Space Hellas with their various business units, especially in the area of urban security and personal safety. Relational.AI is using causation within knowledge graphs with interesting results, especially in terms of explainable AI. This is an area that isn’t getting enough attention in IoT, with Neo4j and TigerGraph also being worth a look to consider connected data as you connect things. Getting more specific, SpokeSafety is bringing safety and value in mobility through Cellular [connecting] Vehicle to Everything (C-V2X). I could go on-and-on, looking at time-series data, energy harvesting, AI embedded in sensors, and more. This is a vast landscape with many components, systems and architectures required to provide value from IoT in sensor analytics ecosystems.

If a brand wanted to work with you, which activities would you be most interested in collaborating on?

I enjoy bringing organizations together through strategy and product innovation, helping organizations go in a better direction through sponsored research and inquiries, and building excitement through tweet chats, podcasts, webinars, panel discussions, and video interviews.

What are your passions outside of work?

Learning! Whether for a hobby, the latest advances in mathematics, sciences and technologies and most importantly, learning about my wife — a lifelong endeavor. One way in which I learn is using these technologies, especially in creating our own, future-looking, aging-in-place tech-enhanced lifestyle, SmartHome, and Garden. I also enjoy learning about new foods and bread.

What would be the best way for a brand to contact you?

Email, Twitter DM, or LinkedIn message.

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