Internet : Pittsburgh Innovates

When 13-year-old Nick LaGrande of Kansas City was diagnosed with a rare blood disease last year, his budding career as an avid baseball player came to an end. 

Nick was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia, a rare blood disease that lowers the immune system and prevents him from being in large crowds. Up until that moment, baseball was his life. He was born with fire in his eyes and a natural swagger for the game.

“The only time we ever saw him cry is when he learned he could no longer play,” says his mother.

Last Wednesday night, Nick learned that he would get to pitch again in an important Major League Game. In front of thousands of people, he threw the first pitch when the Oakland A’s took the field against the New York Yankees.

The pitch was made possible through Google’s high-speed fiber connection and a telerobotic pitching machine developed by Pittsburgh’s own DeepLocal.

“We created a robotic pitching arm that was controlled not just remotely, but 1800 miles away,” says Lauren Keller, accounts manager for DeepLocal. “It was awesome to see it work and Nick’s reaction to it.”

The idea for Nick’s robotic pitch was driven by Google Fiber in Kansas City. (You might recall the Google Fiber for Communities contest back in 2010, which Pittsburgh entered and lost. Kansas City won and is the headquarters Google's experimental, ultra high-speed broadband network.)

For its part, DeepLocal created the telepathic robotic pitcher, which took the Oakland field on the evening of June 12^th. While Nick wound up and threw a pitch in a Kansas City studio, the vision system read his pitch, sent the data on Google’s Fiber network and triggered the robot to pitch to A’s relief pitcher Ryan Cook, all within the blink of an eye.

“It was so cool to give someone such a meaningful connection to a machine,” says Keller who watched the pitch from San Francisco while DeepLocal’s Patrick Miller, lead software engineer, assisted Nick in Kansas City.

The partners in the project were Google, Venables Bell & Partners and the Oakland A’s.  Watch the very moving story.

Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Lauren Keller, DeepLocal

Two recently published studies by the University of Pittsburgh have interesting implications for users of Twitter and Facebook. 
 
A study of Twitter suggests that if the social media site fails to continue to attract new users, it will devolve into a platform for corporations and celebrities that will resemble television or radio broadcasts.
 
The Facebook study, on the other hand, warns that Internet attackers are infiltrating our personal and private information on Facebook through our “mutual friends.”
 
The Twitter study is coauthored by Andrew Stephen at the Katz Graduate School of Business and Olivier Toubia at Columbia University. The idea was to unmask the motivation behind some of the most prolific tweeters on the social media site, says Stephen.
 
In other words, do high-volume tweeters tweet to broadcast their thoughts and share their opinions with a wider audience? Or are they simply looking to increase their social status by accumulating followers?
 
In the end, they found that while mid-range Twitter users were encouraged to post more in an effort to gain a larger audience, high-end users went in the opposite direction, reducing the number of daily tweets as they gained a larger following.
 
“As they get more followers, they want to be careful about what they post,” explains Stephen.  The results indicate, therefore, that higher volume users are more interested in amassing followers than using Twitter to broadcast their views.
 
When it comes to commercial, corporate and celebrity users, however, this finding does not apply. Those with corporate-celebrity status continued to post continuously regardless of how many followers they had.
 
As long as new users continue flowing into Twitter, which is presently the case, Twitter will remain a voice of many, the researchers agreed. If the number of new users drops, however, Twitter will become a channel for high-end users like corporations and celebrities who will fill it with packaged programming.
 
As for Facebook, a separate Pitt study published in Computers & Security revealed that that hackers are finding they way through security settings on Facebook through “mutual-friends.”  
 
The same problem exists for LinkedIn and Fouraquare, says James Joshi, coauthor and associate professor of information assurance and security in Pitt’s School of Information Sciences.
 
While Facebook allows users to block hackers from a public search, the block proves inefficient if a mutual friend isn’t using the same security settings.
 
“Being able to see mutual friends may allow one to find out important and private social connections of a targeted user,” said Joshi. “An attacker can infer such information as political affiliations or private information that could be socially embarrassing.”
 
The information could also be used to create false identities that appear even more authentic than the actual user.
 
Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Andrew Stephen, James Joshi, University of Pittsburgh

When Rebecca Gaynier launched iTwixie, the mother of three girls hoped to create an online space where girls could confidently and honestly express themselves—and send a message to companies who cater to tween-age girls.

The social media partnership is taking off. Now in its fourth year, iTwixie has established itself as a positive voice in social media for young girls, ages 7-12. The firm recently relaunched its website, which is attracting10,000 unique views a month.  Substantial growth in the next three years is projected, says Gaynier.

For the AlphaLab startup company, the measure of success is about engaging young girls who come to the colorful website and stay for a solid period, long enough to post comments and vote on pressing issues of the day. On average, girls spend at least 10 minutes on iTwixie, which may not sound like much but is actually a lifetime for girls this age.

“It’s a new era for clients in this marketplace,” Gaynier explains. “Kids today are looking at three screens at the same time. We’re getting comments and feedback, which shows they are captivated. That’s what we’re really looking for.”

The power of the iTwixie platform is the candid feedback that young girls offer to companies and services that want to know what they’re thinking. Many of the products out there for tween girls really stink, says Gaynier. As a business, we’re empowering girls to send a message to companies that says this is what we want.

For example, when Abercrombie began selling pushup bikini bras targeted for seven-year-olds, iTwixie girls expressed their disapproval. When asked what kind of bathing they prefer to wear, they confirmed they preferred bathing suits that stay on in the pool and are brightly colored to one that makes them look like a teenager.

“It’s not what girls want,” says Gaynier.

Companies engage iTwixie because they want to send young girls a message and hear back from them. Robert Morris, for example, recently hired iTwixie to organize a series that would send a message that RMU is a magnet school for girls empowerment.

We only work with organizations, businesses or brands who share our mission to empower girls, says Gaynier. Actually, there's quite a few out there.

“There’s a payoff in this,” she says.

Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Rebecca Gaynier, iTwixie

What is the Internet saying about you?
 
An accurate social media profile is critical in today’s job market. But how to manage the wild west of online content and ensure that the information out there is accurate?
 
Social Media Information (SMI) is rising to the challenge, an information solutions company working out of the Riverside Innovation Center. SMI rolled out Social Fingerprint in 2012, a simple online tool that gives anyone a read on potentially incriminating and embarrassing online posts.
 
SMI has more recently released two business to business products: EPLOY, a pre-employment screening tool to help companies find and retain the best employees; and EGLE, software for legal professionals and insurance analysts to investigate suspicious claims, criminal histories and reduces fraudulent insurance claims.   
 
A premium product to help people with profile or reputation management may be next, says Chris Gormley, CEO, formerly of Pittsburgh companies FreeMarkets, Tiversa and Omnyx.
 
“People should have the ability to monitor their own reputation,” he says. “We think there’s a big market for this.”
 
Gormley recently addressed college students at Pitt, prolific users of social media who might want to think twice about what they post on Facebook. Thirty-seven percent of employers today are using social media to research job candidates, he says. Facebook and LinkedIn are the most popular, used 65% of the time.
 
Industries that use social media the most when hiring are IT (52%) and Healthcare (28%). Of the remaining companies, 11% say they plan to start using it soon, he says.
 
So before that happens, one might want to try Social Fingerprint.
 
As a frequent user of social media and an online writer, I signed up, offered a few details and began receiving daily lists of potentially damaging information on myself.
 
Several problems popped up, all of which were false positive, fortunately. Here’s what Social Fingerprint had to say:
 
My name was closely linked with the words guns, riot, police and charges. Turns out it was a Pop City story, written by me, on “Behind the Scenes at the G-20.”
 
My name was found with the words roasted, served and hash. Another Pop City story about readers’ favorite dishes in Pittsburgh.
 
There was a mugshot that wasn’t me, whew, but one Debra Jeanne Smith who was charged with second degree murder for stabbing her boyfriend in Florida.
 
Most interesting was a site called Instant People Finder, which knew all my names, before and after marriage, and listed every place I’ve ever lived, all five, and my correct age.
 
Okay, I’m sleeping at night for now.
 
“You have to know what’s out there,” says Gormley. “You want to control your own online brand and know how to manage that. “
 
Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Chris Gormley, SMI

Since its inception as a website in 2006, The Motherhood has celebrated the power of women to change the world and make it a better place for children.
 
This week the award-winning mega-blog for mothers, based in Aspinwall, launched a new website that has cemented its position as a for-profit social media marketing company. 
 
With a completely new website, and an assist from Pittsburgh-based Fireman Creative and University of Pittsburgh’s Instutute for Entrepreneurial Excellence (IEE), The Motherhood hopes to achieve what few in the marketing business have done successfully to date: harness the power of social media influencers, in this case mommy bloggers, to promote national brands.
 
The Motherhood was founded by longtime friends Cooper Munroe of Fox Chapel and Emily McKhann of New York City. They created the site in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, helping to bring a virtual community of mothers together who were united in their desire to assist families hit hardest by the storm.  
 
“The power of women drove the entire thing,” Munroe told Pop City in 2009. “We saw the power of the web for good and how, by doing our little bit with the website, we were able to make a difference.”
 
Savvy marketing women— they met each other in 1988 working for a public relations firm in Washington, D.C.—they had a long range plan from the start: to nurture a community of woman who would become the social media influencers in their future marketing business.
 
That day has come.
 
“It has been a wonderful journey,” says Munroe. “We work with organizations (and corporations) that really want to reach moms who are social media influencers with a deep and loyal readership. The word of mouth impact is unparalleled, women talking to women about what they care about.”
 
As a marketing company, The Motherhood organizes social campaigns and strategies for companies, promoting everything from the health and welfare of Sub-Saharan mothers to good hygiene, healthy pets and family fun.
 
For example, there’s the Listerine 21-Day Challenge to improve oral health. Merck for Mothers addresses maternal mortality rates in Uganda. The Hershey Camp Bondfire promotes s’mores in the summer.
 
The Motherhood connects the campaigns through thousands of blogger followers who push the stories out on their own blogs. Some of the bloggers, not all, are paid by The Motherhood for their service.
 
Their reach is tantalizing. The Motherhood has more than 14,000 followers--6,000 followers on Facebook alone--a core network of 3000 mommy bloggers and another 10,000 potential bloggers across the country. The company counts many Fortune 500 companies among its clients: Johnson&Johnson, Bayer, Verizon, ConAgra Foods, Frito Lay to name a few.
 
“The most exciting thing is how people in Pittsburgh came together and are reshaping the advertising industry,” says Paul Fireman. “Through the magic of the community they've built, they only need to grab the ticket and take the bus.”
 
“It's not a mommy blog. It’s a whole new marketing channel, a sophisticated business that connects influencers to brands,” adds Bob Stein with Pitt’s IEE. 
 
There may be a question, for some, of corporate accountability. Do social media marketing companies like The Motherhood have a responsibility to ensure that companies are as altruistic as their campaigns claim?
 
Munroe and McKhann believe that is not their role. As a marketing firm, they create, package and deliver information on the campaigns and programs to bloggers who, in turn, spin it into prose on their own websites.

"We believe in the campaigns we work on and the clients projects we bring to bloggers. We take on campaigns that raise all boats," Munroe says.  
 
Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Cooper Munroe and Emily McKhann, The Motherhood; Paul Fireman, Fireman Creative; Bob Stein, University of Pittsburgh
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

South Side-based LunaMetrics knows all about rising to the top when it comes to the web search.
 
As a digital intelligence firm, Lunametrics works with clients to analyze and increase traffic to their websites. It's also the only certified partner of Google Analytics in Western Pennsylvania, although it has plenty of other tools in the box including search engine optimization (SEO), pay per click (PPC) and social media.
 
The combination is drawing hits, as they say. Last year LunaMetrics, founded in 2005, doubled its revenues to $1.5 million and expanded staff by 50 percent, growth that required moving from the Terminal Building to more spacious digs on the South Side with conference rooms and a kitchen.
 
LunaMetrics currently employs 12 and is hiring two.  
 
While many clients come to us because we’re a certified Google Analytics partner, they stay because we’re customer centric, says Robbin Steif, CEO.
 
Lunametrics believes in regular communication with customers. It’s important to understand their experience so we can make the entire online experience better, whether that means the website, apps or social media.
 
The industry is growing for two reasons, she adds. It’s the most measurable marketing you can have today, very show me the numbers. The other reason is the tremendous growth of the Internet.   
 
“Its easy to understand what we do to improve rankings, but that’s only one piece," Steif says. "We try to cover the marketing, digital intelligence space. It’s not all about search engines but making your property do what you want it to do."
 
So how is this working for LunaMetrics? “Our visit pattern looks like a hockey stick,” says Steif. “The visitors to the company’s website are up 161% year over year, 2012-2011. That’s what happens when you work really hard at it and have the right things in the right place.”
 
Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Robbin Steif, Lunametrics
 
 
 

A new consortium of companies in Pittsburgh are joining forces to establish the region as a major hub for "big data" with the official launch of Pittsburgh DataWorks this week.
 
In stealth mode since last fall, DataWorks surfaced two weeks ago at the MIT Forum held at IBM in Squirrel Hill. IBM initiated the idea and is joined by five founding members: Carnegie Mellon University, Google, Management Science Associates, University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Medical Center.
 
A long list of private companies and economic development organizations are on board as well.
 
Pittsburgh companies and universities are already working and established in this space, explains Bob Monroe, associate professor at the Tepper School of Business at CMU and member of the DataWorks advisory board.
 
This is the logical next step, bringing everyone together and unifying the effort to establish southwestern Pennsylvania as a leading region for this industry. By 2014, big data will gain an $81 billion foothold in the market and create 1.9 million jobs in the U.S.
 
“The opportunities are huge,” says Monroe. "As a region, we have many of the assets that will help us to become a capital for big data.”
 
DataWorks will share space in the business incubator Rev Oakland. In addition to promoting the region as a leading destination for big data education, the initiative will develop research, entrepreneurial and regional economic development opportunities.
 
The coming out party will be held Thursday, March 21, at the University Club on Pitt’s campus from 6 to 8 p.m.
 
Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Bob Monroe, Saman Haqqi, Pittsburgh DataWorks

Hackers say they can teach a monkey to hack a computer in a few hours, which is disturbing news to anyone who makes a living online.
 
Having recently suffered two cyber attacks—an email and Twitter account—I sought advice from a cyber savvy friend at Wombat Security Technologies in Oakland, a CMU spinoff and expert in the area of cyber security training and filtering solutions for businesses and employees.
 
Phishing attacks rose a whopping 59 percent in 2012 from the previous year, says Amy Baker, marketing director. Phishing is the fraudulent act of sending emails that pretend to be from a legitimate company or person but are actually breaking into and confiscating your personal information.
 
“It’s just one of many problems,” she says.
 
Wombat Securities shared a few key tips on the top ways to safeguard your online business culled from their vast training library.  
 
Browsing
Just because you Google for something doesn’t mean you will land on a legitimate website. Check urls and learn domain names. There are many dangerous websites in cyberland. CNN.net, for example, is not the same as CNN.com.
 
Don’t allow your browser to remember your passwords; they can be retrieved by other people. And don’t save credit card information on websites.
 
 
Email
Be alert for emails that address current events or the scandal of the moment. Many contain links that lead to websites with malware.
 
Don’t assume your friends or colleagues are sending you safe links or attachments. If you receive a suspect link from a friend or colleague, delete it immediately. If your email is infected, change your password right away. You might need to shut the account down and create a new one.
 
Passwords
This is an important topic, Baker says. If you think you have a great password, think again. Lists are circulating in cyberspace with the top passwords of all time and yours could be on it, especially if it contains the word “monkey,” the numbers 123456 or the letters qwerty.
 
Vary your passwords across sites. Create online banking and purchasing passwords that are different from general website passwords. Strong passwords are key: the strongest ones contain at least eight letters and include uppercase letters, symbols and numbers.
 
The hardest passwords to crack are password families and ones that string multiple words together, like redcar and bluecar or mojomama and mojopapa with a few numbers and symbols tossed in.
 
Social Media
Cyber criminals are having a heyday with your social contacts. Everything you post on social media, no matter what your privacy option, is in the public domain. People have lost their jobs from a tasteless or thoughtless post, says Baker. Set boundaries on your online persona.
 
Wombat’s co-founder Lorrie Cranor recently published a “Guide to Facebook’s Privacy Options” in the Wall Street Journal, a great read for anyone wishing to stay abreast of this fast-moving area of social media.
 
Don’t share information that sets you up for identity theft: your birthday and year, place of birth, address.
 
Text Messaging
Beware of sms-phishing: fake text messages that look like they’re from your bank or a company but are really just trying to harvest your passwords when you follow the link and login.
 
Make sure the apps you download are legitimate. Check reviews for malware ratings. Amazon and Apple apps are generally safer than apps from noname stores.
 
Beware of free WiFi
When you use a public WiFi network that’s unprotected, anyone can eavesdrop on your conversations. Look for password protected sites. If you must use an unprotected network, only visit websites you know are secure and don’t enter sensitive information like passwords.
 
Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Amy Baker, Wombat Security Technologies

Imagine the power of billions and billions of data bytes in the cloud that are leveraged to not only solve problems but predict the future. Such is the promise of “big data,” the bold frontier of data mining.
 
Pittsburgh startup Powered Analytics hopes to tap this data mother lode. By developing a cloud-based platform to assist a wide range of industries, the startup, currently in Alpha Lab, hopes to be among the first to establish itself in the business intelligence market, which is estimated to gain an $81 billion foothold in the market by 2014.

And if that isn't exciting enough, Pittsburgh companies have joined forces and launched DataWorks, a partnership of local companies--including IBM, Avere, CMU, Pitt, UPMC and Management Scientist Associates--who are rolling out big plans to make Pittsburgh a hub for "big data." (More on this next week.)
 
From the dawn of man the world has generated about five million terabytes of information, explains Collin Otis, co-founder and Pitt grad who previously worked in the aerospace industry on scientific prediction methods for propulsion applications.
  
“As a society we now generate about that much data in two days.” 
 
Welcome to the next paradigm shift.
 
“There’s an opportunity to really change the world doing this on a massive scale,” says Otis. “You can solve amazing problems with this technology.”
 
For example, auto manufacturers can sift through warranty, recall and service data on a specific model and flag potential mechanical problems before they become a costly issue.  Computers can identify a pattern long before humans, he says.
 
While very new, Pittsburgh is well on its way to becoming a hub for data mining and machine learning. SAP, one of the largest providers of statistical analysis, recently acquired Smartops; IBM, which acquired Vivisimo, and Google are both working on it.
 
It’s the holy grail of business intelligence applications, yet only about 3% of all companies are leveraging this data, Otis says.  
 
It’s not an easy space to get into. The startup has two employees, two interns and received more than 100 applications for its one job opening.
 
“I wanted to work in an industry with an opportunity to make a big impact,” Otis says. “The endgame is to become a global leader in predictive analytics.”
 
Writer: Debra Smit
Source: Collin Otis, Powered Analytics

Kids today. Give them a digital device and they will have it mastered by the age of two.
 
Pittsburgh startup AppCertain wants to help by providing parents with a platform that gives them the tools to stay abreast of their children’s digital prowess. Anytime a child downloads an app to their iOS device, AppCertain sends them an email with detailed information on the potential security risk and educational value of the download.
 
The company is the first to be selected by Birchmere Labs as a studio project, a new investment model for the region. Developed by Birchmere Ventures and partner Sean Ammirati, Birchmere Labs offers seed investments to early stage startups; the most promising among them are then selected as studio projects.
 
Unlike an accelerator or incubator, of which there are many in the region, Birchmere Labs is about taking the seed of an idea and spinning it out as a company. The designation comes with an undisclosed amount of funding and further mentoring from Birchmere’s experienced entrepreneurs, says Ammirati.
 
“Birchmere really helped me run with my idea,” says Spencer Whitman, co-founder and CEO of AppCertain. “We’re at the point now of slowly leaving the Birchmere nest, learning how to operate and stand on our own two feet.”
 
Whitman began developing AppCertain during his years at CMU where he was both an undergrad and grad student working at CyLab. When it comes to reviewing apps, restrictions, ratings and reviews aren’t working for parents, he says.
 
Parents need an easy way to monitor their children’s activity and teach them to be responsible digital citizens without having to take their device away or engage in constant confrontation.
 
The platform, which targets children between the ages of seven and 17, provides information on an app’s security risk and content value. Is an app, for example, capable of accessing sensitive information, like data or photos? How educational or violent is the content?
 
The idea is to give kids the freedom to make their own decisions while giving parents the ability to make sure their decisions are sound, he says.
 
AppCertain, currently in beta, is a free download, but hopes to be an app someday. It currently works only with iOS products--iPhone, iPod, iTouch and iPads--with plans to expand into the Android market.
 
The company has three full-time and four part-time employees and works out of Birchmere Ventures in the South Side.
 
Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Sean Ammirati, Spencer Whitman, Birchmere Ventures
 
From left to right: Jim Newsome, Spencer Whitman, and Megan Gilligan.  Not pictured: Sean Ammirati, Lara Schenck, Karmyn Guthrie, and Cyrus Collier, courtesy of Birchmere Ventures

When it comes to dressing the man, let the man and not the style be the guide.
 
So says Angela Lynn, the founder of Engineered Style, an Alpha Lab company creating mobile tools to help the fashion-challenged male.
 
“The demographic I’m going for is your average guy who won’t pay someone to help him with his style,” explains Lynn. “The app teaches men what they need to know to look good, to help them feel empowered. It makes the process less painful.”
 
Lynn has stellar qualifications in this department. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon, she worked in the fashion industry in New York and went on to establish herself as a personal style coach. She also dabbled in costume work, working with Ann Roth and dressing celebrities like Kate Winslet for the HBO mini series Mildred Pierce.
 
“What I learned is the difference between fashion and style,” she explains. “You’re not dressing the actor, but the psychology of the character. That’s the basis of my system. I bring out people’s personalities and help it match their lifestyle. What is reflected on the inside is what is reflected on the outside.”

The Fashion Field Guide takes skin tones and body types as its cue in helping men to establish a professional, finished look for any season. Users create a profile and proceed through several exercises to determine fit, which is crucial, she says.
 
“The most common mistake guys make is wearing clothes two or three sizes up to hide the gut,” she says. “Once we get them in the right size, we begin to educate them (on styles and where to buy them).”
 
Engineered Style is in the process of building its team. The company hopes to launch its first app, focusing on casual wear, in beta in March. The larger goal is to eventually license the technology to major retailers who can engage with customers on their own websites.
 
Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Angela Lynn, Engineered Style

How free are the apps in our smartphones?

That depends on the price you put on your personal information. Many are sucking sensitive information from our phones only to be sold for a profit.

More disturbing, most people don’t even realize it.
 
Researchers at CMU’s School of Computer Science say 80% of all mobile users are unaware that their smartphone is sharing their location, contact lists and other personal information around the clock. Users should be forwarned of the hazards associated with the great, unregulated Internet.
 
“The study basically shows that there’s a very sophisticated amount of information being collected and most people don’t even know it,” Norman Sadeh, a professor at CMU’s School of Computer Sciences and co-founder of Wombat Security, an Oakland-based firm working on tools that teach how to identify suspicious online activity.

Among the 10 invasive apps that surprised users, in a crowdsourced study: Brightest Flashlight, Toss It (game), Angry Birds, Talking Tom (virtual pet), Backgrounds HD Wallpapers, Dictionary.com, Mouse Trap (game), Shazam (music) and Pandora Internet Radio.
 
Apps like GoogleMaps raised few concerns because most knew they were giving up location information, says Sadeh. The bottom line is nothing is free. App developers are in the business of making money by aggregating information that is used to push display ads our way.
 
Insurance companies, for example, have apps that may one day track our location and the speed at which we are traveling, information that will undoubtedly be used to modify our insurance premiums. So what can mobile users do to protect themselves in this wild frontier?
 
Become vigilant of the ambiguous popups that periodically surface asking for access and tap Deny, says Sadeh. iPhone users have some degree of control of this information by going to settings and toggling privacy settings on for each app.
 
“You can always protect yourself by uninstalling an app,” he adds.
 
While the problem carries over to personal computers, the smartphone is more at risk because it travels with you and details and location information are much richer.
 
For the researchers, the study was the first step in identifying the problem. The team hopes to develop smart tools and launch a website that will systematically scan apps and make it easier for users to gain this information.
 
The National Science Foundation, Google and the Army Research Office sponsored the work.
 
Writer: Deb Smit 
Source: Norman Sadeh, CMU

Among the latest Pittsburgh-based websites, blogs and apps to surface in recent weeks:
 
Treading Art is the region’s latest resource for cultural happenings in the city.
 
Christine Smith and Melissa LuVisi moved to Pittsburgh after graduating from UCLA, where they met. They were drawn to our region’s thriving arts community and the city’s drive to redevelop and expand.
 
Their background in business development, museum administration and curatorial management is perfect for reaching out to the creative communities in the city. TreadingArt will highlight the scene, promote cultural happenings and post reviews, photographs, interviews, commentary and critiques.
 
In the coming year, the duo plan to launch a membership program with access to arts events—underground openings, panels, tours and workshops.
 
“Eventually we would like to see this transpire into a physical space,” says LuVisi.  “We are truly thankful to have landed in such a receptive and innovative city.”
 
Look for the Weekend Treadings newsletter and agenda events in January of 2013.
 
Built In Pgh is connecting the dots for local entrepreneurs and innovators. The website, brought to you by the same people behind the RustBuilt Initiative, is a clearinghouse for the startup community, listing events, forums, job postings and company news.
 
And here’s several apps and games to keep small minds busy during the holidays.
 
IOnFuture is a cool way for middle schoolers to explore potential careers in the STEM fields. Considering a career as an ecologist or urban planner? How about an industrial designer or Veterinarian? This gives students an opportunity to learn different activities and hobbies they might try as they explore various career paths in science, technology, engineering and math fields.
 
The Lemonade Stand is a free educational iPad game that teaches children ages 3-6 about money and work by letting them actually run a virtual lemonade stand. The app was created through Idea Foundry’s Riveted program.
 
Online reviews comments that it teaches youngsters literacy and math skills while offering kudos for the rocking music.  
 
Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Melissa LuVisi, Kit Mueller

Want to learn the language of the Internet? Think code is only for computer science geeks and undercover agents? If you’re female and want to get into on the action, Rail Girls is for you (sorry men.)
 
Rail Girls is an international organization that got its start in Helsinki, Finland, 2010, as a one-time event for women. It proved so popular that the teaching workshops spread to other cities around the globe: Shanghai, Singapore, Krakow, and now Pittsburgh.
 
The weekend workshop brings small groups of women together and empowers them to acquire the tools necessary to conquer the online frontier, or at least build a website, says Amanda Brown, an organizer of the local chapter.
 
The classes teach Ruby on Rails, or Rails, an open source, full-stack web application framework for the Ruby programming language. If this makes absolutely no sense to you, it soon will.
 
The weekend event will be held on Saturday, Jan. 19^th, and is free and open to all girls and women. An installation event will be planned for the day before.
 
“If you don’t have any programming experience, you should be able to follow along and orient yourself. It’s geared toward the beginner level. We really want it to be a growing and learning experience while building community.”
 
ModCloth is a major sponsor of the event along with Confluence and NuRelm. Innovation Works has donated the AlphaLab space on Carson Street the South Side for the workshop.  
 
Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Amanda Brown, Rail Girls