A Design-First Approach to AI/ML Tools – Interview With Startups of the Year Nominee, DataSeer

Hey Y’all,

DataSeer, Inc. has been nominated in HackerNoon's annual Startup of the Year awards in Houston, Texas.

We would love your support. Please vote for us here:

https://hackernoon.com/startups/north-america/north-america-houston-tx-usa

Read more about us below to understand why we deserve your vote.

Meet DataSeer

DataSeer provides automated visualization software that digitizes unstructured data trapped in 2D images and creates a digital twin database with API access.

DataSeer’s AI-based system automates the extraction of symbols, lines, tables, and text from disparate industrial 2D diagrams and data sheets and creates a unified digital twin database with API access providing fast access to up-to-date process information.

How We're Disrupting / Improving the AI / ML Industry

Our approach to AI / ML tools is a design-first one, with the human user in the center. Man & machine needs to collaborate, not compete. Creating such software tools for automation in the Engineering & Construction industry — which is notoriously slow to change (see McKinsey’s report)  — is important since there’s a big technology gap compared to other sectors that are more B2C, such as AdTech, MarTech, e-commerce, etc. B2B has been overlooked, especially in the industrial space.

Standing Out from The Crowd

Our software tool is scalable since users correct model predictions while preparing, structuring, and Q&A-ing data for final output. Using the tool’s UI/UX, the engineering user gets the data ready for use, and the system gets feedback for continual learning & improvement. Win-win. No 3rd party labeling, no sending your data off-shore, and no additional rework iterations. You get to teach the tool to learn in real time, on the fly.

Building in Houston

Our HQ is in Houston. Part of our team is based in Houston (we’re remote with on-site retreats in H-town; here‘s a case study where we’re featured on how we stay aligned as a team). The process manufacturing industry is who we started building the tool for from the very start, and Houston is the home or core hub for our customers in the Energy, Plastics & Recycling, Water & Biotech industries.

Our Predictions &Thoughts on the AI Industry

Reactions of folks are bimodal: they’re either super excited or scared about AI. Knowledge & education is key to sifting through the hype and identifying ways AI can be helpful. Change is coming, but be cautious. Data is a part of all this, so ask yourself where these AI tools are getting their data from for learning and how they are continuing to learn in the future.

Taking on the Future

We’re excited about our growth into new markets this year beyond process diagrams into other technical engineering disciplines. We’re looking for partners interested in API integrations into their software platforms. Moving beyond the digitization of engineering documents & diagrams, we’ll be also looking at enhancing DataSeer with predictive capabilities based on historical patterns observed to date. Stay tuned.