Showing posts with label machinelearning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label machinelearning. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 04, 2015

I guess it's eBook week... eBook of the Day: “Data Science in the Cloud, with Azure Machine Learning and R" Report (Name-ware)

Machine Learning Blog - Download Free O'Reilly Report - Data Science in the Cloud

O’Reilly's new report, titled “Data Science in the Cloud, with Azure Machine Learning and R," shows how newer Cloud-based tools, combined with established techniques such as R, make sophisticated ML models accessible to a wide range of users. Through a practical data science example, with relevant data sets and R scripts available on GitHub, it helps you navigate through tasks such as:

  • Data management

  • Data transformation

  • Building and evaluating ML models

  • Producing R graphics

  • Publishing your models as web services

All this is done using a free account in the Azure ML cloud environment. You can ...

O’Reilly - Getting started with data science in the cloud

Large-scale machine learning, or predictive analytics, is having a powerful impact across many industries. By using machine learning, companies, governments, and not-for-profits are replacing guesses and seat-of-the-pants estimates with valuable data-driven predictions.

Deriving value from machine learning, however, is often impeded by complex technology deployments and long model-development cycles. Fortunately, machine learning and data science are undergoing democratization. Workflow environments make tools for building and evaluating sophisticated machine learning models accessible to a wider range of users. Cloud-based environments provide secure ubiquitous access to data storage and powerful data science tools.

To get you started creating and evaluating your own machine learning models, O’Reilly has commissioned a new report: “Data Science in the Cloud, with Azure Machine Learning and R.” We use an in-depth data science example — predicting bicycle rental demand — to show you how to perform basic data science tasks, including data management, data transformation, machine learning, and model evaluation in the Microsoft Azure Machine Learning cloud environment. Using a free-tier Azure ML account, example R scripts, and the data provided, the report provides hands-on experience with this practical data science example

...

Microsoft Azure - Data Science in the Cloud with Microsoft Azure Machine Learning and R

The Microsoft Azure Machine Learning cloud platform provides simplified yet powerful data management, transformation and machine learning tools. R language scripts integrate with built in Azure ML modules to extend the platform. Additionally, models running in Azure ML can be published as web services.
You will be provided information on how to perform data science tasks including, data management, data transformation, and machine learning in the Azure ML cloud environment. You will learn:

  • Data management with Azure ML.
  • Data transformation with Azure ML and R.
  • Data I/O between Azure ML and the R Scripts.
  • R graphics with Azure ML.
  • Building and evaluating machine learning models with Azure ML and R.
  • Publishing Azure ML models as a web service.

    Free tier Azure ML accounts are now available with a Microsoft ID at https://studio.azureml.net/Home/Free.

  • ...

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    Here's a snip from this 58 page "report"

    Introduction
    Recently, Microsoft launched the Azure Machine Learning cloud platform—Azure ML. Azure ML provides an easy-to-use and powerful set of cloud-based data transformation and machine learning tools. This report covers the basics of manipulating data, as well as constructing and evaluating models in Azure ML, illustrated with a data science example.

    Before we get started, here are a few of the benefits Azure ML provides for machine learning solutions:
    • Solutions can be quickly deployed as web services.
    • Models run in a highly scalable cloud environment.
    • Code and data are maintained in a secure cloud environment.
    • Available algorithms and data transformations are extendable using the R language for solution-specific functionality.

    Throughout this report, we’ll perform the required data manipulation then construct and evaluate a regression model for a bicycle sharing demand dataset. You can follow along by downloading the code and data provided below. Afterwards, we’ll review how to publish your trained models as web services in the Azure cloud.

    Downloads
    For our example, we will be using the Bike Rental UCI dataset available in Azure ML. This data is also preloaded in the Azure ML Studio environment, or you can download this data as a .csv file from the UCI website. The reference for this data is Fanaee-T, Hadi, and Gama, Joao, “Event labeling combining ensemble detectors and background knowledge,” Progress in Artificial Intelligence (2013): pp. 1-15, Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

    The R code for our example can be found at GitHub.

    Working Between Azure ML and RStudio
    When you are working between AzureML and RStudio, it is helpful to do your preliminary editing, testing, and debugging in RStudio.

    This report assumes the reader is familiar with the basics of R. If you  are not familiar with using R in Azure ML you should check out the following resources:
    • Quick Start Guide to R in AzureML
    • Video introduction to R with Azure Machine Learning
    • Video tutorial of another simple data science example

    The R source code for the data science example in this report can be run in either Azure ML or RStudio. Read the comments in the source files to see the changes required to work between these two environments.

    Overview of Azure ML
    This section provides a short overview of Azure Machine Learning.

    You can find more detail and specifics, including tutorials, at the Microsoft Azure web page.

    In subsequent sections, we include specific examples of the concepts presented here, as we work through our data science example.

    Azure ML Studio...

    You also heard that Microsoft bought a firm that's a "leading commercial provider of software and services for R," Microsoft to acquire Revolution Analytics to help customers find big data value with advanced statistical analysis, right? Funny how that works.... :)

    Thursday, December 11, 2014

    Predictive Models? Machine Learning? .NET App? Free Redist? Syncfusion has something you might like...

    Deploy predictive models inside .NET applications

    Dear customer,

    We are excited to announce that we have shipped a breakthrough product that allows you to deploy predictive analytics solutions inside .NET applications.

    Predictive modeling

    What if you could use existing information to make predictions? Predictive modeling is truly one of the best-kept secrets. It has been used for decades by the largest firms in the world, enabling them to make smart, data-driven decisions. However, in spite of such tremendous benefits, few organizations have been able to justify the costs associated with modeling and deployment.

    Times have changed. There are now a variety of modeling environments available to suit every budget. R is completely free and can produce excellent models. SPSS and SAS are leading commercial options.

    Once you build and validate a model that works for your needs, you will need to deploy it within your .NET application. This task is often challenging and one in which the most fees lurk. You have to invoke the modeling environment’s runtime in most cases, and this often presents expensive commercial licensing costs and significant technical hurdles.

    Essential Predictive Analytics changes everything

    Essential Predictive Analytics from Syncfusion changes all this. You can now build models using any environment including R, SAS and SPSS, and then deploy with no dependency on these environments. The developed model are serialized in the open Predictive Model Markup Language (PMML) format. Essential Predictive Analytics includes a .NET execution engine that can execute the PMML model and provide real-time results from within your .NET applications without any third party dependencies.

    Essential Predictive Analytics is included with Syncfusion Essential Studio Enterprise Edition (ESEE). As with the rest of ESEE, there are absolutely no runtime fees or royalties whether you deliver to a small group of users or to millions around the world....

    Syncfusion - Essential Predictive Analytics

    Make data-driven decisions

    In today’s data-driven world, the most successful companies will be those that utilize available data to make timely data-driven decisions. A common example would be to analyze the purchasing habits of shoppers and providing relevant coupons to get them to buy related products. Another example – what if you could build a model that could accurately predict which of your customers are likely to stop using your product or service? You already have information on customers who stopped using your service in the past. What if you could build a model that learns from past data and can then be put to work to stop churn before it happens? With Essential Predictive Analytics, you can.

     

    Model using R, SAS, and SPSS and deploy using .NET

    Easily develop powerful models to predict the future based on past data using R, SAS, or SPSS. The developed model can then be serialized in Predictive Model Markup Language (PMML) format. Essential Predictive Analytics includes a .NET execution engine that can execute the PMML model and provide real-time results from within your .NET applications without any third-party dependencies.

     

    Absolutely no deployment fees

    Essential Predictive Analytics is included with Syncfusion Essential Studio. As with the rest of Essential Studio there are absolutely no runtime fees or royalties whether you deliver to a small group of users or to millions around the planet. Also, because there is no third-party dependency once the modeling is done, you pay no runtime fees to any other vendors. You simply produce the model using the environment of your choice and Essential Predictive Analytics will take it from there.

    Truly useful models

    Predictive modeling is truly one of the best kept secrets around.Companies that use predictive modeling are smarter than those that don’t. They know the right answers based on data. They make smarter decisions. In spite of such tremendous benefits, predictive modeling has long been the preserve of a select few organizations that were able to afford modeling and deployment solutions. Today, there is no reason to wait. R is completely free and can produce excellent models that can be deployed with ease using Essential Predictive Analytics.

    ...

    image..."

    Now that's different and could be very, very awesome. While there are open source like solutions, I don't know if there's anything like this. It's part of their $1995 Syncfusion Essential Studio Enterprise Edition, which isn't cheap, but it IS a free redist, which is huge AND compared to other commercial solutions, pretty cheap (and plus you get everything else that's in that suite too!

    To get a nice feel for this, check out their demo;

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    I'm hoping to take a much closer look at this in the coming weeks... :)

    Monday, November 17, 2014

    Getting started with AzureML with the End-to-End tutorial...

    Continuous Learning - End-to-End Predictive Model in AzureML using Linear Regression

    Machine Learning (ML) is one of the most popular field in Computer Science discipline, but is also the most feared by developers. The fear is primarily because it is considered as a scientific field that requires deep mathematical expertise which most of us have forgotten. In today's world, ML has two disciplines: ML, and Applied ML. My goal is to make Machine Learning easier to understand for developers through simple applications. In other words, bridge the gap between a developer and a data scientist.  In this blog, I will provide you with a step-by-step guide for building a Linear Regression model in AzureML to predict the price of a car. You will also learn the basics of AzureML along the way, as well as its application it in real-world by creating a Windows Universal Client app.

    What is AzureML?

    AzureML is meant to democratize Machine Learning and build a new ecosystem and marketplace for monetizing algorithms.  You can find more information about AzureML here.

    Why AzureML?

    Because it is one of the simplest tools to use for Machine Learning. AzureML reduces the barriers to entry for anyone who wants to try out Machine Learning. You don’t have to be a data scientist to build Machine Learning models anymore.

    Logical Machine Learning Flow

    Figure below illustrates a typical machine learning process with end result in mind.

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    ...

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    ...

    Conclusion

    AzureML is a new and highly productive tool for Machine Learning. It may be the only tool that lets you publish a machine learning web service directly from your design environment. Machine Learning is a vast topic and Linear Regression models discussed in this article only scratches the surface of the topic. In this article, I went over a stale dataset to showcase AzureML as a predictive analytics tool. You can apply the same procedures and components for Classification and Clustering models. Finally, my goal was in writing about Applied Machine Learning. I am not a Data Scientist, but now with all the productive tools, I feel that I can put to work some of the great algorithms that scientists have already invented.

    Some more Datasets you can play around with

    1. Daily and Sports Activities Data Set link
    2. Farm Ads Data Set link
    3. Arcene Data Set link
    4. Bag of Words Data Set link

    ...

    There's a free tier for Azure ML that was announced week before last, so if you've been yearning to play in a Machine Learning sandbox, Azure ML and this post will get you started!

    Monday, October 27, 2014

    One James McCaffrey, Two Succinctly's - "Machine Learning Using C# Succinctly" & "Neural Networks Using C# Succinctly" (& 50 free eBooks)

    Machine Learning Using C# Succinctly

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    In Machine Learning Using C# Succinctly, you’ll learn several different approaches to applying machine learning to data analysis and prediction problems. Author James McCaffrey demonstrates different clustering and classification techniques, and explains the many decisions that must be made during development that determine how effective these techniques can be. McCaffrey provides thorough examples of applying k-means clustering to group strictly numerical data, calculating category utility to cluster both qualitative and quantitative information, and even using neural network classification to predict the output of previously unseen data.

    Table of Contents
    1. k-Means Clustering
    2. Categorical Data Clustering
    3. Logistic Regression Classification
    4. Naïve Bayes Classification
    5. Neural Network Classification

    Neural Networks Using C# Succinctly

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    Neural networks are an exciting field of software development used to calculate outputs from input data. While the idea seems simple enough, the implications of such networks are staggering—think optical character recognition, speech recognition, and regression analysis. With Neural Networks Using C# Succinctly by James McCaffrey, you'll learn how to create your own neural network to solve classification problems, or problems where the outcomes can only be one of several values. Learn about encoding and normalizing data, activation functions and how to choose the right one, and ultimately how to train a neural network to find weights and bias values that provide accurate predictions. Download the book today!

    Table of Contents
    1. Neural Networks
    2. Perceptrons
    3. Feed-Forward
    4. Back-Propagation
    5. Training

    Two pretty deep drives for you today. Also an interesting milestone, Machine Learning Using C# Succinctly is Syncfusion's 50th free ebook!

     

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    Thursday, March 13, 2014

    Now that's deep... Deep Learning! "Deep Learning Methods and Applications" free eBook from MSR

    inside Big Data  - Data Science 101: Deep Learning Methods and Applications

    Microsoft Research... A recent publication is available for download (PDF): “Deep Learning: Methods and Applications” by Li Deng and Dong Yu, two prominent researchers in the field.

    The 134 page book is aimed to provide an overview of general deep learning methodology and its applications to a variety of signal and information processing tasks. The application areas are chosen with the following three criteria: ...

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     Microsoft Research - DEEP LEARNING: Methods and Applications

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    Some snaps of the PDF;

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    Abstract
    This book is aimed to provide an overview of general deep learning methodology and its applications to a variety of signal and information processing tasks. The application areas are chosen with the following three criteria: 1) expertise or knowledge of the authors; 2) the application areas that have already been transformed by the successful use of deep learning technology, such as speech recognition and computer vision; and 3) the application areas that have the potential to be impacted significantly by deep learning and that have gained concentrated research efforts, including natural language and text processing, information retrieval, and multimodal information processing empowered by multi-task deep learning.

    ...

    Light reading for the coming weekend... :/