Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for alerting users to media events of interest using social media analysis are provided herein. A computer-implemented method includes collecting user media preferences indicating events of interest to a given user; buffering at least a portion of media content associated with the collected user media preferences of the given user; monitoring social media for one or more events of interest to the given user based on the collected user media preferences of the given user; identifying at least one event that satisfies one or more predefined interest criteria for the given user based on the monitored social media contributions of other parties and the collected user media preferences of the given user; and notifying the given user of the at least one event of interest.

Abstract: A query including a question from a user is received by a device. It is determined that the question and an associated answer is not found in a local cache of the device. At least one category for the question is determined. At least one cloud service for answering the question is determined. The at least one cloud service is in communication with the device via a network. A request including the question is sent to the at least one cloud service. Selecting a behavior is selected based upon the at least one category. The behavior includes a feedback to the user to reduce a perceived waiting time by the user. The behavior is executed.

Abstract: A self-service experience for a change requester is provided. Authorized endpoint changes are identified along with corresponding change types. Resource attributes are identified and corresponding parameters of the resources are changed according to change window requirements. Where the changes comply with business policies, the changes are executed.

Abstract: A system management tool, with a risk assessment mode enabled, is executed within an execution infrastructure on a management computer system, to manage a target computer system in a production situation. When the execution of the tool reaches a risk segment which raises risk for the target system, a user is informed of at least one action to be executed in the risk segment. If the user agrees, the tool is allowed to execute in an automatic mode until an end of the risk segment is reached. Feedback is obtained from the user regarding safety of the risk segment; and the steps are repeated for a plurality of additional risk segments until the tool is deemed safe for all of the risk segments, after which the tool is transitioned from the risk assessment mode to an automatic mode of operation.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for discovery and monitoring of an environment using a plurality of robots. A plurality of robots navigate an environment by determining a navigation buffer for each of the robots; and allowing each of the robots to navigate within the environment while maintaining a substantially minimum distance from other robots, wherein the substantially minimum distance corresponds to the navigation buffer, and wherein a size of each of the navigation buffers is reduced over time based on a percentage of the environment that remains to be navigated. The robots can also navigate an environment by obtaining a discretization of the environment to a plurality of discrete regions; and determining a next unvisited discrete region for one of the plurality of robots to explore in the exemplary environment using a breadth-first search. The plurality of discrete regions can be, for example, a plurality of real or virtual tiles.

Abstract: A method for detecting fraudulent payment activity comprises designating one or more objects as typically being in a proximity of a payment mechanism when the payment mechanism is used in a payment transaction, verifying, when attempting to use the payment mechanism for a given payment transaction, whether the designated one or more objects are in the proximity of the payment mechanism, wherein the verifying is based on an electronic communication from at least one of the payment mechanism and the designated one or more objects, establishing whether a threshold number of the designated one or more objects are in the proximity of the payment mechanism, permitting processing of the given payment transaction if the threshold number of the designated one or more objects are in the proximity of the payment mechanism, and preventing processing of the given payment transaction if less than the threshold number of the designated one or more objects are in the proximity of the payment mechanism.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for discovery and monitoring of an environment using a plurality of robots. A plurality of robots navigate an environment by determining a navigation buffer for each of the robots; and allowing each of the robots to navigate within the environment while maintaining a substantially minimum distance from other robots, wherein the substantially minimum distance corresponds to the navigation buffer, and wherein a size of each of the navigation buffers is reduced over time based on a percentage of the environment that remains to be navigated. The robots can also navigate an environment by obtaining a discretization of the environment to a plurality of discrete regions; and determining a next unvisited discrete region for one of the plurality of robots to explore in the exemplary environment using a breadth-first search. The plurality of discrete regions can be, for example, a plurality of real or virtual tiles.

Abstract: One or more embodiments identify server management actions for resolving problems associated with one or more nodes in information technology infrastructure. In one embodiment, a node-ticket record for an information processing node associated with at least one problem ticket is generated. A set of node-ticket clusters is queried based on the node-ticket record. Each of the set of node-ticket clusters maps a set of server management actions to set of historical node-ticket records associated with the node-ticket cluster. The set of server management actions was previously performed to resolve at least one operational problem associated with at least one information processing node. At least one set of server management actions associated with at least one of the set of node-ticket clusters corresponding to the node-ticket record within a given threshold is identified based on the querying.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for discovery and monitoring of an environment using a plurality of robots. A plurality of robots navigate an environment by determining a navigation buffer for each of the robots; and allowing each of the robots to navigate within the environment while maintaining a substantially minimum distance from other robots, wherein the substantially minimum distance corresponds to the navigation buffer, and wherein a size of each of the navigation buffers is reduced over time based on a percentage of the environment that remains to be navigated. The robots can also navigate an environment by obtaining a discretization of the environment to a plurality of discrete regions; and determining a next unvisited discrete region for one of the plurality of robots to explore in the exemplary environment using a breadth-first search. The plurality of discrete regions can be, for example, a plurality of real or virtual tiles.

Abstract: A self-service experience for a change requester is provided. Authorized endpoint changes are identified along with corresponding change types. Resource attributes are identified and corresponding parameters of the resources are changed according to change window requirements. Where the changes comply with business policies, the changes are executed.

Abstract: A query including a question from a user is received by a device. It is determined that the question and an associated answer is not found in a local cache of the device. At least one category for the question is determined. At least one cloud service for answering the question is determined. The at least one cloud service is in communication with the device via a network. A request including the question is sent to the at least one cloud service. Selecting a behavior is selected based upon the at least one category. The behavior includes a feedback to the user to reduce a perceived waiting time by the user. The behavior is executed.

Abstract: On a computer system, a shell is invoked, through which a plurality of commands and/or scripts can be executed. Individual ones of the plurality of commands and/or scripts are validated. Given individual ones of the plurality of commands and/or scripts, for which the validation is successful, are executed via the shell.

Abstract: A method is provided to eliminate many of the manual steps in a server change management process, creating a self-service experience for a change requester. The method may automatically retrieve the current state of a server; constrain the requested change to a valid, feasible specification; verify that the requested change is compliant with business policies; implement the changes automatically; and develop a knowledge base of automated change risk that is used to modify the change management business process by identifying safe changes that can be performed outside of change windows and/or during change freezes. The method can be applied to changes to physical servers, virtual servers, and servers in a cloud environment.

Abstract: It is determined whether a user is authorized to carry out a management operation on a plurality of information technology assets in parallel, based on a role of the user and at least one characteristic of the management operation. A risk level of the management operation, and at least one characteristic of the plurality of information technology assets, are both determined. Based on the risk level and the at least one characteristic of the plurality of information technology assets, an execution pattern for the management operation is specified. In at least some cases, the management operation is carried out on the plurality of information technology assets in parallel, in accordance with the execution pattern.

Abstract: Embodiments include methods, systems and computer program products for providing access to a secure service. Aspects include receiving, from a user device, a request to access a secure service, the request including access information and receiving, from the user device, a requested action on the secure service. Aspects also include correlating the access information and the requested action with stored information associated with the user device and performing the requested action, in response to said correlating.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to managing companionship data. The managing of companionship data includes establishing a set of companion data. The set of companion data relates to a user. A computer establishes the set of companion data. The computer also collects a set of stimuli. The set of stimuli is associated with the user. Based on the set of stimuli, a portion of the set of companion data is determined. The portion of the set of companion data is provided to the user.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for normalizing the speaking volume of participants in meetings are provided herein.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a computer-implemented method and computer system for using a smartphone. A non-limiting example of this method includes receiving an audio input on the smart phone. The audio input is converted to a first digital signal. The first digital signal is transmitted along with location information of the smartphone. The first digital signal is configured to be used as a microphone input for a public address system. The location information is configured to be used to position an automated spotlight.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for tracking the beginning and completion of tasks and nesting of sub-tasks, of the tasks, of a plurality of users, based opening and closing of applications or documents of the tasks, across a plurality of devices, based on activities of the tasks, of the plurality of users, is provided. The computer-implemented method includes receiving at least one input into at least one of the devices, wherein the received at least one input comprises the beginning or the completion of one of the tasks or nesting of sub-tasks, of one the tasks, determining one of the opened applications and documents, or topics associated with the opened applications and documents, that are connected with the inputs of the plurality of devices and, classifying the topics and sub-topics into a hierarchy, based on topics and processing time of the applications and documents.

Abstract: A virtual reality processor-based system and computer implemented method that morphs an individual's personal characteristics, including appearance, voice, speech behavior, movement behavior, physical agility and expressionable ideas, so that people can have a more realistic sensation as they move in the past and future. The personal avatar morphed to a time in the past is based on interpolating the personal characteristics information and the avatar morphed to a time in the future is based on extrapolating the personal characteristics information. The avatar morphed to a time in the past is restricted from speaking a response inconsistent with real-world events. In another embodiment, an option to change the scenarios whereby users can experience different changes of events is provided.