Cognitive Computing and Big Data Analytics offers a comprehensive guide to the technologies that unlock the value in big data through cognitive systems. The book delves into the underlying technologies, including knowledge representation techniques, natural language processing algorithms, and dynamic learning approaches based on accumulated evidence. It provides detailed case examples from financial, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors, walking readers step-by-step through the design and testing of cognitive systems. Expert perspectives from organizations like Cleveland Clinic, Memorial Sloan-Kettering, and commercial vendors contributing to this emerging market offer insights into real-world implementations. A dedicated chapter explores the significance of the IBM Watson cognitive computing platform, while also highlighting projects from Qualcomm, Hitachi, Google, and Amazon. This book demonstrates how today’s solutions build on established concepts from artificial intelligence, natural language processing, ontologies, and advances in big data management and analytics, paving the way for a new generation of customer and context-aware smart applications across industries.