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'Science 2.0' Sifts Data to Provide Relevant Search Results


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A team at West Virginia University (WVU) is researching ways to make better use of digital data. WVU professor Tim Menzies says getting information online is akin to drinking water from a fire hydrant, but all users need is just enough relevant information.

The researchers are working on the Science 2.0 project, which proposes technology that knows a user's goals for searching and sifts through data to provide the pertinent information. "Imagine having filtering technology that comes back with what you need to know rather than you staring blankly at the screen for an hour or two," Menzies says.

The system would require a lot of data to work, including some information people may not want to share on a digital network. Menzies says he does not mind making his medical records available to find cures if there is an epidemic. "At the same time, if there's no cause to look at my data, I want it locked away in the deepest, darkest filing cabinet," he says. The team will work to strike a balance between access and privacy.

From The State Journal
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Abstracts Copyright © 2010 Information Inc., Bethesda, Maryland, USA


 

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