Sense Networks

A machine-learning startup co-founded by MIT computer scientist Sandy Pentland, Sense Networks collects billions of data points about peoples locations from cell phones, taxi cabs, cameras, and GPS devices. It then analyzes the data looking for aggregate patterns about consumer behavior which it hopes to sell to financial institutions and investors.

The companys first application is Citysense, which is a mobile app download initially for the Blackberry that shows a real-time heatmap of popular clubs and hotspots based on how many people are actually there.

Citysense is essentially a demonstration app built on top of Macrosense, the companys main technology platform. According to the company:

At the heart of Macrosense are powerful machine learning algorithms that process time-stamped location data and metadata streams from heterogeneous sources - GPS, WiFi positioning, cell tower triangulation, RFID and other sensors – allowing companies and investors to better understand and predict human behavior on a macro scale.

Macrosense transforms raw location data into intelligent data streams that drive a variety of applications and visual representations. The platform can be configured to interface with map-based programs, enterprise grade data analysis tools, or custom applications. Macrosense can push data streams to websites or mobile apps for real-time display, or act as a real-time service supporting other processes.