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IBM Watson API

developer.ibm.com

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Re: IBM Watson API

#21

Post by flarg »

sumukh1 wrote: post #8
readerrrr wrote: post #3

Out of curiosity I googled the same request. https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=%22His+1983+h... . I think this might be useful if Watson was being feed with a medical database. Otherwise I don't see any need for it; is there any? edit: Watson as a legal consultant would be great. There might be a product in that, not as an replacement for a lawyer but more as guide/search tool.

I actually built my own version of Watson based on this idea - jeopardy questions are often google-able/searchable on wikipedia. It was pretty easy to build out - but it only gets 80% of the way there. The last 20% is the hardest - and it's why Watson is so impressive (even though even Watson is probably only at 90%)

Did you every see that HN Post about QUANTA [1]? Do you think it would cover the last 20%?

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8298887

Re: IBM Watson API

#22

Post by mooreds »

pesenti wrote: post #15

IBM is about to make these APIs (and many others) much more accessible as part of BlueMix ( https://ace.ng.bluemix.net/ - the IBM PaaS/Heroku). I lead the team in charge of developing the Watson platform. Ask me questions!

Bluemix has a impressive list of IBM technologies available: https://ace.ng.bluemix.net/#/pricing/cloudOEPaneId=pricing

Until Watson is available in Bluemix, what is the best way to get access to the q and a API for exploration?

Re: IBM Watson API

#23

Post by jpwagner »

yzmtf2008 wrote: post #18
jpwagner wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Conversation you will never hear in a Dr. office: me: i have pain in my side dr: 25%: something you ate 22%: appendicitis, 18%: kidney stone... Conversation you will never hear in a lawyer's office: me: am i allowed to... lawyer: 42%: Maybe, 38%: Yes, 20%: No

This is only true when there isn't enough information supplied. You can't expect the doctor to figure out what the problem is just by telling the doctor you have a pain in your side, same goes for the lawyer's scenario.

Did you consider that that's not the point I'm making?

The confidences here provide misinformation. This is more harmful than no information.

Re: IBM Watson API

#24

Post by pesenti »

mooreds wrote: post #22
pesenti wrote: post #15

IBM is about to make these APIs (and many others) much more accessible as part of BlueMix ( https://ace.ng.bluemix.net/ - the IBM PaaS/Heroku). I lead the team in charge of developing the Watson platform. Ask me questions!

Bluemix has a impressive list of IBM technologies available: https://ace.ng.bluemix.net/#/pricing/cloudOEPaneId=pricing Until Watson is available in Bluemix, what is the best way to get access to the q and a API for exploration?

Right now you need to apply here: http://www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/us/en/ibmwatson/form_ecosys... but many Watson APIs will be available on BlueMix very very shortly (think weeks not months).

Re: IBM Watson API

#25

Post by nightski »

jpwagner wrote: post #23
yzmtf2008 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is only true when there isn't enough information supplied. You can't expect the doctor to figure out what the problem is just by telling the doctor you have a pain in your side, same goes for the lawyer's scenario.

Did you consider that that's not the point I'm making? The confidences here provide misinformation. This is more harmful than no information.

They are only misinformation if it is misunderstood what they represent.

Re: IBM Watson API

#26

Post by osteele »

jpwagner wrote: post #17
tluyben2 wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would think Watson can replace most lawyers (and MDs, and ...) of this world. Most of them don't think and just rehash stuff they learnt, just like Watson does. Sure for the exceptions you need actual people, but that is the same time when you would go from your corner lawyer to a more prominent one and when your doctor would forward you to an expert anyway.

Conversation you will never hear in a Dr. office: me: i have pain in my side dr: 25%: something you ate 22%: appendicitis, 18%: kidney stone... Conversation you will never hear in a lawyer's office: me: am i allowed to... lawyer: 42%: Maybe, 38%: Yes, 20%: No

The medical example is called a differential diagnosis. Medical school teaches you to make this. Communicating only the highest-ranked one or two items, unless explaining why you're ordering tests that rule out lower-ranked but actionable diagnoses, is not difficult.

Disclaimer: IANAD.

Re: IBM Watson API

#27

Post by luxbock »

jpwagner wrote: post #23
yzmtf2008 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is only true when there isn't enough information supplied. You can't expect the doctor to figure out what the problem is just by telling the doctor you have a pain in your side, same goes for the lawyer's scenario.

Did you consider that that's not the point I'm making? The confidences here provide misinformation. This is more harmful than no information.

How is it misinformation? The human doctor would not tell us his diagnosis in terms of percentages, because we as humans have a hard time grasping probabilities intuitively. That doesn't mean that a probabilistic diagnosis would not be more accurate.

The doctors job is to provide me with as much information about the objective criteria of my physical condition as possible. However when it comes to making choices about my treatment, say in the case of accepting/rejecting an experimental drug with some potentially nasty side effects, it should be entirely my own value judgement on what to do with said information.

Re: IBM Watson API

#28

Post by pesenti »

mooreds wrote: post #13

If you want access to the API, you have to fill out a form, here: http://www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/us/en/ibmwatson/form_ecosys... This is buried in the docs as a comment on this page: https://developer.ibm.com/watson/docs/developing-watson-apis... Edit: No real support for 'playing around' with the API. Bummer. Edit2: Just went through the application process linked above. Be prepared to give info about yourself and…

Watson APIs will be accessible - without the need for an application - as part of BlueMix (https://ace.ng.bluemix.net/ - the IBM PaaS/Heroku) in a couple of weeks. Stay posted!

Re: IBM Watson API

#29

Post by jambox888 »

jpwagner wrote: post #23
yzmtf2008 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is only true when there isn't enough information supplied. You can't expect the doctor to figure out what the problem is just by telling the doctor you have a pain in your side, same goes for the lawyer's scenario.

Did you consider that that's not the point I'm making? The confidences here provide misinformation. This is more harmful than no information.

I've learned a bit about a Watson from internal IBM information and this is something they understand and are working on. There are serious ethical concerns about what to tell someone, even if the diagnosis is quite compelling, IOW, "you have 6 months to live" needs to come from a human. Obviously, the approach is to have it work as a tool for a doctor, not as a WebMD type self-diagnosis service. There are all kinds of follow-up questions, which you'd need to be a doctor to even answer, because they'd be couched in medical lingo e.g. systolic/diastolic blood pressure.

Re: IBM Watson API

#30

Post by [deleted] »

aabajian wrote: post #14
malanj wrote: post #4

Has anyone at HN used either IBM Watson or Wolfram Alpha to build a real (commercial) app? It feels like there should be a whole wave of apps built on either of these technologies but it doesn't seem to be materialising. What is holding back the killer apps for answer/computation engines?

Google / Wolfram Alpha / Watson are great at answering broad questions. 1. "Who was the 12th president?" - Zachary Taylor 2. "What color wine is cabernet sauvignon?" - Red 3. "Is a ferret a rodent?" - The ferret is the domesticated member of the Order Carnivora, Family Mustelidae and Genus Mustela. A common misconception is that ferrets are rodents. The real challenge is answering niche questions: 1. What size are th…

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