Dallas Mavericks Owner and Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban, foresees an upcoming boom; with investment opportunities unlike anything we’ve seen since the rise of the dotcom era, in the late 1990s. Cuban is qualified to speak on the subject, having sold Broadcast.com to Yahoo! (AABA), at the peak of the dotcom bubble, for $5.7 billion (in stock). In an a short interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, on Scoop B Radio, Cuban pointed to several fields that could experience similar growth over the next few years including; “deep learning, machine learning, machine vision, bio analytics and biomechanics.” As for his thoughts on virtual reality, “I don’t think that’s going to be quite as successful as people think”.
Howie Long-Short: Cuban mentions several technological advances that may not be in everyone’s vernacular, so I’m going to try and explain them. Machine learning is the practice of using algorithms to parse data, learn from it and then make determinations based on the large amount of data the machine was trained on. Deep learning is a technique for implementing machine learning, that relies on artificial neural networks (like a brain), where large amounts of data are run through the system to train it. Machine vision refers to a computer’s ability to see (think OCR). Bio analytics relates to the measurement of substances within a biological system, while biomechanics focuses on the movement or structure of living organisms.
Fan Marino: While Cuban may not be particularly bullish on VR from an investment standpoint, the technology appears useful within the sports world. Set to launch in 2018, RBI-VR (from Monsterful VR) will be used by MLB players to enhance pitch recognition and timing, while minimizing the risk of injury. RBI-VR compiles and calculates data to recreate the throwing mechanics, biomechanics, vertical and horizontal release point of any pitcher in the league with near 100% accuracy. Considered by the MLB Player’s Association to be “best-in market”, the technology has been built with input from an advisory board that includes Lloyd McClendon, Dusty Baker, Gene Orza, Don Mattingly and Edgar Martinez.
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