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Simon Birrell
Born
Simon Birrell

(1966-07-26) 26 July 1966 (age 58)
Bristol, England
NationalityBritish
Alma materCambridge University
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur, technologist, film maker
Known forAmbient intelligence

Simon Birrell (born 26 July 1966) is a British entrepreneur, technologist and film maker. He was part of the team that invented ambient intelligence and who, with Eli Zelkha, coined the term.[1][2]

Biography

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Early life, education and career

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Born in 1966 in Bristol, UK. He graduated from Cambridge University in 1988 with a degree in Natural Sciences.[3][4]

He has been a founder or co-founder of three companies. Euro-Profile/i-Profile – a business intelligence company based out of Silicon Valley which was acquired by Virgo Capital (2008),[5] Vemm Brazil, a publisher of consumer advice websites in Brazil which was acquired by QuinStreet (2015)[6][7] and Silicon Artists, a Madrid-based entertainment technology company funded by Silicon Valley-based Tandem Computers.[8][9]

Ambient intelligence

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In 1998, Birrell was part of the team at Palo Alto Ventures that invented and developed the ambient intelligence concept and who, with Eli Zelkha, coined the term.[10][11] It was presented by Roel Pieper of Philips at The Digital Living Room Conference on 22 June 1998.[12][13] [14][2]

Since its invention in 1998, Ambient Intelligence labs have been formed at leading universities[15][16] and ambient intelligence has become part of the core strategies of many of the world's leading technology companies, including Microsoft, Google, Amazon and IBM.[17][18] [19]

Robotics and deep learning

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Birrell is researching deep learning and robotics at Cambridge University.[20] He is the author of the blog Artificial Human Companions.[21]

Video games, virtual reality and other activities

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He developed some of the first video games for Richard Branson's Virgin Interactive in 1983.[22] These included Bug Bomb – BBC Micro (1983),[23] Microbe – BBC Micro (1983),[24][22] High-Rise Horror – Commodore 64 (1984),[23][24] Strangeloop – Commodore 64 (1985),[24][25] Shogun – Commodore 64 / Amstrad (co-design).[26][27][28][9]

From 1993 to 1995, Birrell was the CTO of an early virtual reality company in Spain called Realidad Virtual S.L.[29] At Realidad Virtual, he developed Pandora – the first Spanish online virtual reality platform for the Internet.[30][31] [32]

Mundo de Estrellas (1998) was a distributed virtual reality environment for hospitalised children in Andalucia created by his company Silicon Artists.[33] [34]

He is also a film maker and writer. As a film maker, he has directed two shorts[35][36][37][38] and collaborated with cult filmmakers Jess Franco[39][40][41] and Jose Ramon Larraz.[38][42][41]

Birrell authored a chapter in an MIT book on Information Design[43] and co-authored a book on videogames.[44]

References

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  1. ^ Olson, Nasrine; Nolin, Jan Michael; Nelhans, Gustaf. "Semantic Web, Ubiquitous Computing, or Internet of Things?". doi:10.1108/JD-03-2013-0033. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ a b "Inteligencia artificial aplicada a perso" (PDF). It.uc3m.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  3. ^ "1983: Simon Birrell of Norwich Shows His BBC Micro Computer Game Bug Bomb To Virgin Interactive's Richard Branson". Flashbak.com. 23 March 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  4. ^ Jacobson, Robert E.; Jacobson, Robert (2000). Information Design. MIT Press. p. 350. ISBN 9780262600354. Retrieved 3 May 2017 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ "Virgo Capital purchases stake in research firm". News OK. 14 September 2007. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  6. ^ "QuinStreet Announces Acquisition of VEMM LLC in Brazil (NASDAQ:QNST)". Investor.quinstreet.com. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  7. ^ "QuinStreet acquires Brazilian lead-gen firm Vemm – QuinStreet, Inc. (NASDAQ:QNST)". Seeking Alpha. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  8. ^ "About Us". Silicon Artists. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  9. ^ a b Jacobson, Robert E., ed. (1 January 2000). Information Design. MIT Press. ISBN 9780262600354.
  10. ^ Wright, David; Gutwirth, Serge; Friedewald, Michael; Vildjiounaite, Elena; Punie, Yves (8 January 2008). Safeguards in a World of Ambient Intelligence. Springer. ISBN 9781402066627 – via Google Books. Safeguards in a World of Ambient Intelligence, Page 24, by David Wright, Serge Gutwirth, Michael Friedewald, Elena Vildjiounaite, Yves Punie, Published by Springer Publishing, 2008
  11. ^ "What is Ambient Intelligence?". 25 March 1994. Retrieved 1 February 2017 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ "'Digital Living Room' Webcast schedule". ZDNet. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  13. ^ Aarts, Emile H. L.; Encarnação, José Luis (13 December 2006). True Visions: The Emergence of Ambient Intelligence. Springer. ISBN 9783540289746 – via Google Books.
  14. ^ Aarts, Emile H. L.; Encarnação, José Luis (13 December 2006). True Visions: The Emergence of Ambient Intelligence. Springer. ISBN 9783540289746 – via Google Books.
  15. ^ "Ambient Intelligence Laboratory – Test bed for Innovations". Ami-lab.org. Archived from the original on 11 May 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  16. ^ "A I R Lab – Ambient Intelligence Research Lab Stanford University". Airlab.stanford.edu. 3 June 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  17. ^ "Microsoft delivers data platform for the era of ambient intelligence | News Center". Microsoft. 15 April 2014. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  18. ^ Grossman, Gary (7 May 2016). "The next stop on the road to revolution is ambient intelligence". TechCrunch. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  19. ^ "Inside Sundar Pichai's Plan To Put AI Everywhere". Forbes (in French). Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  20. ^ "Machine Intelligence Laboratory". University of Cambridge. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  21. ^ Birrell, Simon. "Robots, ROS, AI and robotic software". Artificial Human Companions. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  22. ^ a b "1983: Simon Birrell of Norwich Shows His BBC Micro Computer Game Bug Bomb To Virgin Interactive's Richard Branson". Flashbak.com. 23 March 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  23. ^ a b Birrell, Simon. "Games by Simon Birrell". Everygamegoing.com. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  24. ^ a b c "Simon Birrell Games – LaunchBox Games Database". Gamesdb.launchbox-app.com. 1 July 1985. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  25. ^ "Lemon – Commodore 64, C64 Games, Reviews & Music!". Lemon64.com. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  26. ^ "james clavell's shogun &copy virgin games (1986)". Cpc-power.com. 6 February 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  27. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 April 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  28. ^ "Simon Birrell : Interview". Stairwaytohell.com. September 2000. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  29. ^ "Full text of 'PCMania 16'". Archive.org. 23 October 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  30. ^ Elola, Joseba (21 October 1995). ""Seis pintores madrileños multiplicarán su audiencia" | Edición impresa | EL PAÍS". El País. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  31. ^ "Museos virtuales y Digitales | Estudio de Arqué Poética y Visualística Prospectiva". Arquepoetica.azc.uam.mx. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  32. ^ Salvat, Begoña Gros; Bolós, Alejandro Català; Pampols, Carles Feixa; Martínez, Javier Jaén; Díaz, Pilar Lacasa; Luisa Lamazán Álvarez, M.; Borda, Rut Martínez; Zaballos, Laura Méndez; Agües, Jose Antonio Mocholí; Sánchez, Isidro Moreno; Miró, Xavier Vilella I.; Cuello, Antònia Bernat; Magri, Manel Camas; Ballestero, Juan José Cárdenas (14 March 2008). Videojuegos y aprendizaje – Carles Feixa Pampols et al. p. 79. ISBN 9788478278275. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  33. ^ Pampols, Carles Feixa; Díaz, Pilar Lacasa; Bolós, Alejandro Català; Zaballos, Laura Méndez; Martínez, Javier Jaén; Miró, Xavier Vilella i; Álvarez, M. Luisa Lamazán; Sánchez, Isidro Moreno; Borda, Rut Martínez; Ballestero, Juan José Cárdenas; Agües, Jose Antonio Mocholí; Magri, Manel Camas; Cuello, Antònia Bernat (14 March 2008). Videojuegos y aprendizaje. ISBN 9788478278275 – via Google Books.
  34. ^ López, Ruth Martínez (10 August 2011). Mundos virtuales 3D: Una guía para padres y formadores. Editorial UOC. ISBN 9788497883481 – via Google Books.
  35. ^ "El último deseo". IMDb. 12 November 2005.
  36. ^ "His Last Request (PAL): Iris Daaz, Carmen Vadillo, Ramon Rados, Jack Taylor, Simon Birrell, Milena Ivanova: Movies & TV". Amazon. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  37. ^ "Aceite quemado". IMDb. 14 February 2004.
  38. ^ a b "Le Giornate del Cinema Muto – Screenings Database – EL ÚLTIMO DESEO". Cinetecadelfriuli.org. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  39. ^ "Mondo Digital's SICK PICKS". Mondo-digital.com. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  40. ^ "Mari-Cookie and the Killer Tarantula". IMDb. 1 January 2000.
  41. ^ a b "HIs Last Request". Fright.com. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  42. ^ "El Último Deseo (2005)". MYmovies.it. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  43. ^ "Information Design". The MIT Press. 24 August 2000. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
  44. ^ "Games For Your Acorn Electron (Virgin Games) – Acorn Electron World". Acornelectron.co.uk. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
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