Digital Planet

Could so-called anonymized data not be quite so opaque? A recent paper in Nature Communications suggests that information regulators around the world might need to re-assess what constitutes anonymized data by showing that for any American, just fifteen data points could identify an individual person. Insurers, health providers, even media providers should take note of just what can be harvested from these growing numbers of publicly available sets. Smells and Taste A look at sensing. Recently IBM Research demonstrated a new device called Hypertaste which uses AI to learn to identify compounds in water, comparing the unique electrical fingerprint of different molecules. It’s the sort of sensor that just might be included one day on a smartphone. We also look at uses of smell production in immersive storytelling. Could VR experiences of the near future include convincing smells? Meanwhile, reporter Madeleine Finlay reports on efforts to include synthetic smells in immersive storytelling - AKA smellovision. And Jack Meegan meets musicians in northern England who are deploying some digital musical archaeological techniques in efforts to re-create some early Brian Eno. Presenter Gareth Mitchell Comments from Ghislaine Boddington Producer Alex Mansfield (Picture: New research shows how easy it can be to piece together clues in anonymized data sets. Credit: Getty Images)