In 2013, five years after the start of the project, scientists at IBM had achieved one critical step toward the real-world application of this technology: Developing a device that can collect and manage data on pharmaceutical shipments. "The interest [among pharma companies] is 'how do I put data about shipments at the service of my procurement teams?' " explains Lee Munyeon, the program's general manager. "The industry thinks that this can help to reduce the inaccuracy, even if it's in the right or wrong containers." At the heart of IBM's efforts is a system for optimizing the shipping routes of products through the sea ports of Singapore, Indonesia, and China. In recent years, at least 500 shipping containers have been shipped in this way, providing the opportunity to learn how the route affects shipment times and fuel costs.