A Vaistoneer’s Journey: From Web Development to Machine Learning

30.04.20

Imagine if you left your home country and previous career behind for a completely different environment and domain. It could be intimidating and yet —  it could promise an opportunity of a lifetime, simultaneously colliding with valuable insight in the future of technology. 

One of our most recent Vaistoneers is Anna Ogiiko. She has been a professional in the web development field for over 5 years, having worked with projects for a Finnish industrial customer in her home country, Russia. It has been quite an enriching experience converting her life from Russia to Finland, as well as expanding into a brand-new domain of expertise: machine vision and machine learning (ML).

At Vaisto, Anna specializes in software development. She describes that software engineering has always piqued her interest due to the fact that there is more research involved. In her previous discipline, the focus was constantly on developing. Nowadays, it’s about finding the perfect algorithms or scouring through scientific articles. It is all very interesting and satisfyingly challenging at the same time.

Speaking of challenging, the question of ‘what is machine learning’ was raised. Anna explained that it is similar to a human’s neural network. There are self-learning algorithms comparable to the process of teaching a child. For instance, you could teach a child to recognize different objects via photos. You show the child various photos, point to what the object contains, ‘feed’ it again with different photos and also point out which are the wrong results. This process will eventually allow the child to understand which is right and which is wrong, and thus, continue to learn from there. 

This is how ML essentially works. It is the process of feeding information in order for a network to self-learn through trial and error. The future of ML, in Anna’s opinion, is that it will be present in every and all situations. “Every programmer will have to have some basic knowledge of ML”, she continues, “as it is integrated into almost every field. A few years ago, there was a narrow field of specialists, but now that is widening continuously. This is certain for all fields, such as in automation, biology and even entertainment.”

A couple of weeks ago, Vaisto delivered a groundbreaking pilot to one of the clients. The main idea of the project was to discern predictions from the utilization of a video camera feed. The use of machine learning will allow the network to recognize various elements from the display of photos. The client will use this information for statistical analyses in order for automated pricing to pursue competitive advantage. Although it is still in the beginning stages, it is an exciting feat in which the final version will be developed and delivered before this forthcoming summer. 

Anna’s story is a reminder that there are many possibilities when you decide to break out of the norm and become a pioneer — or should we say a Vaistoneer. She claims that working for Vaisto is a perfect ground for seeds of curiosity, knowledge and friendliness, fertilized with a working atmosphere and healthy sense of humor, honest and free of faux glow. As to what the world can expect from the future of Vaisto, be on the lookout for innovative solutions from real specialists that will certainly exceed expectations.