Investigating Automatically Generated Questions
2020-2021
Tools used: SpaCy, BERT, Transformers (Huggingface), Bookshelf
Helped lead R&D around automatic question generation from textbook content. Was a published author on award-winning research paper proving our method works, and then led productization effort to launch at massive scale in VitalSource Bookshelf.
Watkins or Not Watkins?
August 2017
Tools used: Python / Flask, Keras, Theano
Inspired by
Silicon Valley's
Not Hotdog, this simple app detects whether an uploaded image is Watkins (the
Bookshelf mascot) or not, using a deep neural network. Yeah, it's overkill.
MetaSeek
March 2017
Tools used: Python / Flask, React, AWS, MySQL
Source: MetaSeek on Github
MetaSeek is a data discovery and analysis tool for genome sequencing data. Built in collaboration with
my soon-to-be PhD wife, we expect to publish a paper on MetaSeek this year.
Think outside the textbook
November 2016
Tools used: EPUB 3, Web Audio API, Firebase Realtime Database
Video of my talk at
Books in Browsers '16. Lots of fun demos in this one, including three prototype chapters from a hypothetical highly interactive music textbook.
In C
November 2016
Tools used: Web Audio API, Firebase Realtime Database, MIDI.js
Source: Mind-size-bites on Github
An explorable exploration looking at a famous piece of experimental music, "In C". Including a collaborative, networked, educational concert performance.
Hebrides Overture
November 2016
Tools used: Web Audio API, Youtube API, Firebase Realtime Database, Device motion detection, PDF.js
Source: Mind-size-bites on Github
An aural and visual exploration of Mendelssohn's famous overture. Make sure to try out conducting the piece (as it plays on your laptop) by waving around your phone to the beat.
Timbre - the color of sound
October 2016
Tools used: D3.js, Web Audio API
Source: Mind-size-bites on Github
Timbre can perhaps best be described as the color of sound. Check out a visualization of a trumpet or flute, then sing into your microphone to see your own voice in action.
Link-a-Day
June 2016
Tools used: Node / Express, Mailgun API, Heroku
Source: Link-a-Day on Github
1) Send submit@mg.uptownnickbrown.com a 💯 link (with the URL in the subject line). 2) Get an anonymous 🔥 link back via email. 3) Reply to 💬 directly with whoever sent it in.
EPUB2Vec
March 2016
Tools used: Python, word2vec, scikit-learn, EPUB 3
Source: EPUB2Vec on Github
Using Word2Vec, analyze which paragraphs of a set of ebooks are most similar to each other. Useful for cross-linking, topic relevance and exploration.
Night Falls. A Storm Rolls In...
January 2016
Tools used: Hand-crafted, boutique, framework-free HTML, CSS, SVG & JS
Source: Riddler solutions on Github
Diving deep into an interesting puzzle from
FiveThirtyEight with an explorable explanation.
Asciify
January 2016
Tools used: Node / Express, Twitter API, ImageMagick, JP2A, AWS
Source: Asciify on Github
The past and future of data visualization
September 2015
Blog post hosted on Medium
A deep dive into the invention of key chart types and what innovations are coming next to data visualization.
Getting into data visualization — where should I start?
August 2015
Blog post hosted on Medium
Tools used: Python, R
A short post for the academic scientist, school teacher, research consultant, project manager, funemployed guy or MBA grad who wants to get into data visualization - but doesn't know where to begin.
The Story:System Spectrum
June 2015
Blog post hosted on Medium
The breadth of possibilities when creating interactive stories for the web is endless. Using a framework like the Story:System Spectrum can help bring clarity when faced with the thousand small decisions that go into building great content.
The Data Journalist Job Description
February 2015
Blog post hosted on Medium
Thinking about the ever-expanding job description for today’s social media-savvy, digitally native, constantly engaged journalist. Add data to the mix and the job spirals away from difficult towards impossible.
Priority Matrix
June 2014
Tools used: D3.js
Source: Priority Matrix on Github
Use the Eisenhower Priority Matrix to help you get stuff done. Add your tasks to the table and see live updates on the priority chart.