Connected Lab to Host Hackathon to build Chatbots for Smart Devices

Hackers will use IBM Watson IoT Platform to enable people to interact with smart devices

TORONTO, May 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Today, Connected Lab, the fastest growing connected software company in North America, is announcing it will host a smart device hackathon, powered by IBM Watson IoT. The hackathon will encourage developers to create new experiences using conversational interfaces on the IBM Watson IoT Platform.

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The IBM Watson IoT Platform allows people to securely and easily connect devices, from chips and intelligent appliances, to applications and industry solutions, and use cognitive services including natural language processing and machine learning for deep insights into hidden or "dark" data for innovation and transformation. The platform also provides the ability to analyze sensor data from billions of devices, to better forecast weather events, for example.

During the hackathon, developers will use IBM Watson IoT cognitive APIs and smart devices to create conversational interfaces like chatbots.

"People are excited about chatbots because they see the potential to interact with technology using conversational language," said Damian McCabe, VP Engineering at Connected Lab. "As an IBM alumni, I'm excited about the potential of the IBM Watson's cognitive capabilities including natural language processing and machine learning. At the hackathon, developers will use this powerful platform to build more human ways for people to use innovative technology."

The IBM Watson IoT Platform opens up new possibilities in how we interact with services and our environment. "People will always use a few standalone apps. But a lot of information and services can be more easily accessed through a conversational interface rather than hundreds of app icons on your home screen," said McCabe.

The theme of the hackathon, "Conversational Interfaces and Smart Devices," aligns with Connected Lab's mission to build better connected software experiences. This hackathon encourages developers to access the IBM Watson IoT Platform cognitive analytics expertise to build applications that can understand meaning, extract insights, and respond to complex questions.

For more information or to register for the event, visit:
http://bit.ly/1ZjaTtn

ABOUT CONNECTED LAB
Connected Lab is the leading and fastest growing connected software company in North America. Connected Lab works with the world's most ambitious brands to build the best connected software experiences. For more information, please visit connectedlab.com.

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Twitter: @connectedlab
Blog: medium.com/@connectedlab

For more information about IBM Watson IoT, please visit ibm.com/iot

SOURCE Connected Lab