SBIR-STTR Award

Global Feed in 3-D: an Information Technology Product for Strategic Decision Making and Market Analysis
Award last edited on: 5/7/2014

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
USDA
Total Award Amount
$549,247
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
8.12
Principal Investigator
Christopher Lanoue

Company Information

Nautilytics LLC (AKA: Innovosoy)

711 Atlantic Avenue Lower Level
Boston, MA 02111
   (607) 339-3301
   N/A
   www.nautilytics.com
Location: Single
Congr. District: 07
County: Suffolk

Phase I

Contract Number: 2011-00423
Start Date: 00/00/00    Completed: 00/00/00
Phase I year
2011
Phase I Amount
$99,790
The Illinois Soybean Association and the USDA initiated and supported the original research project that produced the prototype Global Food in 3?D and underlies the proposed new product, Global Feed in 3?D. The expected user groups were small and mid?sized farmer leaders and allied analysts and stakeholders as a result of the research's original design and goals. The research outcome of this project will lead to a commercialized product that directly serves the needs of small and mid?sized farmers as they and allied parties chart strategy and make investment decisions for their businesses and organizations. U.S. agricultural organizations will use Global Feed in 3?D to make sense and gain better understanding of the complex feed grain and livestock markets in which they operate. Small and mid?sized farmers comprise the vast majority of agricultural producers in the United States and serve as the leaders on the many commodity groups, farm organizations, service firm boards, cooperatives, government advisory committees. Their products not only are traded worldwide, but by the nature of commodity economics their markets are affected by changes in supply and demand throughout the world. Farmer leaders need high quality information tools on which to base strategy, policy and investment decisions. Global Feed in 3?D is a three dimensional workspace where users immerse themselves in a rich graphical environment of commodity and socio-demographic data. The 3-D environment allows for unparalleled learning and discovery unique to the user. Global Feed in 3?D provides small and mid?sized agricultural leaders with not only the data and information they need, but its unique visualization environment allows for unique learning and understanding. Agricultural leaders will have access to unparalleled information and resources. They no longer need not be passive, but can be actively involved in learning and analysis. Specifically Global Feed in 3-D will cover the production, consumption, and trade of all (28) feed grains, (7) livestock, (12) meat, (4) dairy, and (30) commercial fish types. Regional feed rations will link livestock and fish production forecasts back to grain and micro and macro nutrient ingredient demand forecasts. Long run meat and fish income elasticities of demand (53) will be calculated across all 209 countries. There will be 25 key demographic variables associated with each of the 209 countries, such as income growth, changes in urban population, etc.

Phase II

Contract Number: 2012-02133
Start Date: 00/00/00    Completed: 00/00/00
Phase II year
2012
Phase II Amount
$449,457
As a result of SBIR Phase I funding Global Feed in 3 & #8208;Dtm, allows users rapid and intuitive access to the data while simultaneously giving them the option of participating directly in the learning and analysis. The software integrates statistical analysis with tridimensional visualization to help users gain new socio & #8208;economic insights and knowledge. We assemble large data sets of time series and cross section commodity and national level demographic data, such as population and income. We successfully estimate structural relationships between consumption data and income (see Masuda and Goldsmith, 2009; Masuda and Goldsmith 2012). We forecast production for each commodity and each country using auto regressive techniques of time & #8208;series data. The data are manipulated by the user, and results are visualized simultaneously in graph form, caterpillar charts and on a three dimensional interactive map of the 186 countries in the database. All data are live and animated as users explore historical and future trends and relationships. The queries are downloadable to Excel for further analysis or exportable as a PowerPoint for slide presentations. For a view of the prototype go to: www.globalfoodin3d.com. The SBIR Phase I focused on the software's functionability. In particular, the technical challenge of employing a video gaming development tool to manage the data and create the user interface. We knew that no one else had tried to move economic analysis to a video gaming platform. But we felt confident that such an environment was the solution to a number of the problems faced by users of large, dense, and dynamic data. Phase I is complete. We have successfully developed Global Feed in 3Dtm on a gaming platform, and it performs very well. The next problem addressed in our SBIR II proposal involves developing software that is highly usable. Beta testing and focus groups reveal that though we are on the right track, and users are wowed by the power and elegance of Global Feed in 3Dtm, they are still reluctant to switch their work routines. Commercial success requires that users see our software as a relevant substitute for their current analytical routines. Thus Global Feed in 3Dtm needs to be structured in a way that is consistent with how users work. We need to conduct research involving user studies, develop beta solutions based on the research, and then retest the beta solutions with users.