Category Archives: Technology

KBR and Avina enter into FEED and technology licensing agreement for SAFs  Hydrocarbon Engineering

View post:

KBR and Avina enter into FEED and technology licensing agreement for SAFs - Hydrocarbon Engineering

Investors Interested In EDGE Technology Inc.'s (TSE:4268) Revenues  Simply Wall St

Go here to see the original:

Investors Interested In EDGE Technology Inc.'s (TSE:4268) Revenues - Simply Wall St

The five-year decline in earnings for Siward Crystal Technology TWSE:2484) isn't encouraging, but shareholders are still up 61% over that period  Simply Wall St

Continue reading here:

The five-year decline in earnings for Siward Crystal Technology TWSE:2484) isn't encouraging, but shareholders are still up 61% over that period -...

Information Technology Services Market Size In Latin America is set to grow by USD 48.43 billion from 2024-2028, Rising focus on core competencies and improving efficiency to boost the market growth, Technavio  WV News

Read the original here:

Information Technology Services Market Size In Latin America is set to grow by USD 48.43 billion from 2024-2028, Rising focus on core competencies and...

ProRata Invents Generative AI Attribution Technology to Compensate and Credit Content Owners While Facilitating Fairness and Fact  Business Wire

Go here to read the rest:

ProRata Invents Generative AI Attribution Technology to Compensate and Credit Content Owners While Facilitating Fairness and Fact - Business Wire

Apple has reportedly acquired Datakalab, a Paris, France-based startup specializing in artificial intelligence compression and computer vision technology. According to French business magazine Challenges, the acquisition was finalized in December.

Datakalab described itself as experts in low power, runtime efficient, and deep learning algorithms that work on device.

On its LinkedIn page, Datakalab highlights industry leading compression and adaptation to deploy embedded computer vision that is fast, cost-effective and precise. Prior to the Apple acquisition had between 10 and 20 employees.

From Datakalabs now-defunct website:

Datakalab is a French technology company that develops computer image analysis algorithms to measure flows in public space. The images are instantly transformed into anonymized statistical data processed locally in 100ms.

Datakalab does not store any images or personal data and only keeps statistical data. Datakalab products are built according to the principle of Privacy by Design.

Datakalab teamed up with the French government in May 2020 to deploy AI tools into Paris transportation systems to check whether people were wearing face masks. The company also worked with Disney and other partners in the past.

While neither Apple nor DatakaLab have acknowledged the acquisition, Challenges says that the deal was reported to the European Commission this month. The report says that Datakalabs two founders did not join Apple, but multiple other employees did make the jump. Datakalab also held multiple patents related to AI compression and vision technology.

The acquisition comes as Apple is expected to bring a suite of AI features to iOS 18 later this year. Datakalab also developed advanced vision-based technology, which could play a role in Apples Vision Pro ambitions into the future. The companys advanced facial recognition technology could also contribute to things like Photos and Face ID.

(via iPhoneSoft)

Follow Chance:Threads,Twitter,Instagram, andMastodon.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Visit link:

Report: Apple acquires French startup behind AI and computer vision technology - 9to5Mac

As Victor Torp sprinted toward the Wembley corner flag and fell onto his back, Coventry City looked like they had produced one of the greatest moments in FA Cup history.

Having been 3-0 down against Manchester United after 70 minutes, they had pulled off a remarkable comeback to lead 4-3 in stoppage time of extra time.

More than 36,000 Coventry fans were in euphoria and some Manchester United supporters left the stadium. The noise was deafening but then came the silent wait for the VAR.

But 118 seconds after Torp had put the ball past Andre Onana, the goal was chalked off for the tightest of offsides as Coventry forward Haji Wrights toe was judged to be slightly beyond Aaron Wan-Bissakas toe.

Championship side Coventry went on to lose 4-2 0n penalties, missing out on what would have been just their second FA Cup final appearance, having won it in 1987.

It led to widespread outcries on social media about the delay diminishing Coventrys outpouring of emotion but also doubt being cast over the accuracy of the VARs call.

From next season, the Premier League will have technology that should see these gripes consigned to history: semi-automated offside technology (SAOT).

It is yet another acronym that fans will have to get used to after Premier League clubs unanimously approved the use of SAOT for the 2024-25 season, which is estimated to be available for use after one of the autumn international breaks.

Despite being in its fifth season, complaints about the time delays when the VAR has to study marginal offside calls still exist. In that context, the addition of SAOT feels like an important step.

The Premier League believes it will save an average of around 31 seconds per offside and there is the bonus of officials being instantly informed of the decision via an earpiece, which means an assistant referee can raise their flag as soon as they hear, rather than having to wait on the phase of play to come to an end.

But how does SAOT work?

The answer is: it depends. There is more than one path that leagues and competitions can take when implementing SAOT.

FIFA and UEFA use Hawk-Eyes SAOT technology but FIFA uses the connected ball add-on. Both require a camera-based optical skeletal tracking system, which uses video cameras to monitor around 30 joints on each players body.

The cameras automatically pick these up like antennas as soon as they go onto the pitch and its algorithms constantly calculate whether an attacker is in an offside position.

But the major difference between the two is that the latter uses the connected ball and the Premier League does not intend to use that.

Munich-based Kinexon is the company that worked in conjunction with FIFA and Adidas for five years to produce 1,500 of these high-tech footballs for the mens 2022 World Cup and 1,500 for the 2023 Womens World Cup.

After its success, it will do the same for the mens Euro 2024 and womens Euro 2025 match ball called Fussballliebe German for love of football.

Our in-ball chip is an advanced add-on for SAOT, says Daniel Linke, product marketing and strategy lead at Kinexon.

Using only an optical-based system has a greater error margin due to the shutter time of the camera, motion blur, picture angle and resolution.

The standard broadcast cameras (used by VAR) record at 50 frames per second but Kinexons in-ball chip can judge when the ball has been touched 500 times per second.

With VAR in its current form, there is contention about whether the picture was frozen on the correct frame for offside calls eg, working out the exact moment the ball had left Callum OHares boot for Coventrys disallowed goal on Sunday but this is where Kinexons in-ball chip can offer a more precise judgement.

Weve all watched games with VAR where play is interrupted and they spend five minutes looking, only to draw the wrong conclusion, says Linke.

Its so tricky to see from the video images exactly when the ball is touched as the picture might be blurred or occluded. With our connected ball, you get that information instantly. It is in perfect synchronisation with the video signal; we have it down to one or two milliseconds.

Then the camera systems algorithms are constantly working to assess offside every time a touch signal is sent by the ball chip.

Linke talks to The Athleticthrough one of FIFAs example videos, which shows how the chip complements the cameras to provide virtually real-time offside calls.

What you see in red is the touch signal, he says. There is a peak when the ball is touched and that means you can see the picture instantly.

Every line you see is a frame. When we detect a touch we send this to the VAR software. Between two picture frames we have 10 data points from the ball whenever there is a touch, so when you see the video with the touches overlayed you click on the image and the line is drawn instantly on the correct frame.

That high-resolution sensor allows it to detect a full-strength kick to a subtle graze undetectable to the naked eye.

The chips other strength is that the sensor has an inertia measurement unit inside, which is basically an accelerometer, he says.

It has a high-resolution touch signal so every time you kick it or a feather drops on it, you will see it. Its critical for the offside technology.

You can also tell when the ball has been touched but also ifit has been touched. There was the example of Cristiano Ronaldo when he claimed he headed it but the technology proved he had not. They do it with sound in cricket (snickometer) but the idea is similar.

Domestic leagues typically wait for the International Football Association Board (IFAB, the body that oversees the laws of the game) and FIFA to deploy new technology before it cascades down the football pyramid. FIFA trialled SAOT in the 2021 Arab Cup and Club World Cup before using it for the Qatar World Cup.

Its success meant it was retained for the 2023 Womens World Cup, while Italys Serie A has used SAOT for the past 18 months.

Spains La Liga announced last October it will introduce SAOT from the start of the 2024-25 season but how long before it is almost universally used like VARs?

There are other ball providers following (Adidas) but it takes a year of research and development to find the best way to implement the sensor. You need to design it in a way that it does not affect the physics of the ball.

A lot of testing is required to prove the concept is fail-safe and that the technology does not impact the games aesthetics. The nightmare scenario would be for a player to take a throw-in and hear the chip rattling around.

SAOT is generally less expensive than VAR because less manpower is needed to operate the system. It is fully automated and can be overseen by one operator, whereas VAR requires several people to manually find the right frame and apply the offside lines.

Could there be a double benefit of the chip helping to determine whether the ball is in play or not?

There have been two goals this season when blindspots in VARs camera inventory have been exposed. Unfortunately for Arsenal, both incidents (against Newcastle United and West Ham United) went against them.

VAR has access to all broadcast cameras but the number in operation varies across each match, so there is no uniformity across all 20 stadiums.

Hawk-Eye is the provider of goal-line technology and normally places cameras at the back of the stands or on the roof. Contrary to popular belief, no cameras are placed inside the goalposts or crossbar, so Hawk-Eyes ability to triangulate the balls position to within an average of three millimetres in goal-line decisions is not applicable further along the byline.

We had the same question in the World Cup with the Japan goal that people thought had gone out, says Linke.

People were asking us why we didnt use our technology, but to determine whether the ball has crossed the line or not it needs to be sub-centimetre accurate.

Our strength is in the refresh rate of when the ball is connected with. We can determine the position of the ball but it would only be accurate to within two, three, four or five centimetres.

(Top photo: Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

Read the original post:

What is semi-automated offside technology and how does it work? - The Athletic

As the world celebrates Earth Day, I decided to sit down with one expert to discuss whether technological advancements can help us protect our environment or whether its at the core of all ecological problems.

Earth Day is celebrated annually to honor the achievements of the environmental movement and to raise awareness of the need to protect Earths natural resources for future generations.

Todays reality is that the worlds temperature continues to rise at a concerning rate, plastic waste is still ineffectively recycled, and deforestation threatens biodiversity. However, it's not all doom and gloom, and in some cases, these new technologies are helping out.

For example, Internet of Things (IoT) powered smart grids are already helping produce and distribute electricity more efficiently, reducing our overall carbon footprint. Environmentally sustainable smart cities are being constructed with the help of artificial intelligence (AI), IoT, and big data. AI can now analyze data from drones, infrared cameras, and audio sensors to help detect poachers, and satellite imagery helps spot and calculate deforestation rates.

Does this mean that we still have hope? Can technological advancements help fight the ecological zeitgeist? We discussed these future scenarios with Eugene Berko, Director of Tech Practices at Intellias, the IT company leading the charge in implementing digital solutions to increase sustainability.

Berko works for a multinational company that has collaborated with Marvel Fusion, a company developing laser-driven fusion as a solution for the global energy transition to zero carbon emissions, a smart city project in the Middle East, and created systems for businesses to track their carbon footprint and solutions for smart agriculture.

Employing disruptive technologies such as AI and smart devices primarily assists in a quest for a more sustainable future by optimizing the usage of resources.

Originally, optimization was driven by monetary reasons more effective energy distribution means less overhead, cheaper costs, and so on. But recently, more and more companies are thinking about the environmental impact. And I think that's great,

Data gathered by smart devices and processed using AI models can tailor energy production, storage, and distribution to consumption while helping to reduce our carbon footprint. For example, so-called smart gridsan enhanced electric grid with the help of IoT devices that communicate both ways are helping to manage the demand.

Smart home technologies are also contributing to reducing energy consumption.

Power is used whenever needed, and instead of people like me just going through the apartment and turning off the lights, saying to my daughter, why did you leave the light on, there are automated systems that do that way more efficiently, says Berko.

Optimization of consumption also applies to food waste reduction. Many companies are experimenting with AI and machine learning (ML) to optimize food distribution to minimize waste by providing optimal routes to avoid spoilage, explains Berko.

Smart solutions in the agricultural sector can reduce environmental impact by monitoring plant growth and quality of soil, optimizing irrigation, and dosing agrochemicals. This technology can even help track the health and condition of livestock.

Technology can also play an important role in preserving wildlife tracking the movements of individual animals or herds to ensure they are not going into the cities or densely populated areas

You can use drone surveillance to prevent poaching, track the health of those animals, and make sure that they get information about the environment so they are in a safe environment, Berko points out.

Another way technology contributes to solving ecological problems is by providing accurate and extensive data. Data gathered by smart devices and processed by various computational systems helps to see the actual environmental impact, contributing to its preservation.

The changes made in the last several hundred years were unseen previously. Tracking those things is extremely important,

While world economies are trying to tackle the upcoming climate change apocalypse by reducing their carbon footprint, accurate calculation is crucial. New technologies are helping in this field. For example, the Intellias analytics platform integrated into a transportation companys management system can show carbon emission statistics in real-time to help fleets offset their CO2 footprint.

I think it's very good for companies to focus on their nearest future, really getting a better understanding of what's happening with us, our planet, and how we are contributing to that. How are we affecting this?

In that way, the companies can start having more responsibility for their actions, understand what they are doing, understand the impact, and then take responsibility for that.

While there are some obvious perks, technology is like a double-sided sword. We can calculate our carbon footprint, however, at its essence, climate change is caused by man-made technologies.

While AI models can process tremendous amounts of data, they also consume a lot of energy, increasing their carbon footprint. Blockchain technology is disruptive in tracking carbon emissions, but yet again, the network is highly energy-hungry.

It's like with nuclear energy. You can use it to provide clean energy for the people. On the other hand, it can be used to produce bombs. So it's really about what we as a society are doing with that technology,

Berko points out that energy consumption is a very complex problem with many variables. He does not distinguish AI from other IT services, such as Google services, which also consume high amounts of energy. There are a couple of questions to be asked here. Can we really avoid using this technology? Are there alternatives? he asks. If the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, bearing the cost is more likely.

Also, the source of energy is important. If energy is created using fossil fuels, it will, of course, increase our overall carbon footprint. However, cleaner and renewable energy solutions like wind or solar power, change the dynamics.

Berko also highlights the evolution of technology and that it tends to get more energy-efficient over time. If you take processors in our computers, they started using more energy with time compared to the 90s, and the performance increased so much. That means we are doing way better. Previously we had to have X amount of PCs doing the work, and now we need a significantly smaller amount of that. I am a bit on the optimistic side, I guess, he says.

Another argument is how technology is used. Technology could be used purely for entertainment purposes, but it could also serve a higher purpose: to save lives and improve human living conditions.

So what is there for us in the future? Berko believes it is hard to predict, as the history of humanity shows that predictions are rarely accurate.

Berko suggests that if one were to engage in conversation with an individual from the early 1900s, it's unlikely that they could have anticipated the vast array of socio-economic transformations that unfolded over the course of the 20th century.

That person would not be able to predict two world wars, the dismantling of empires that had existed for hundreds of years, and the emergence of the Soviet Union. That person would definitely not be able to predict technological advances, commercial flights, personal computers, or the Internet,

While predictions for further technological advancements are hard to narrow down, Berko invites us to stay realistic but hope for the best. We as a species can mitigate the risks while still having the best technology can provide.

He points to the invention of cars, which completely disrupted how our society functions by transforming the concept of distances and connecting people. Of course, as a downside, cars produce CO2 emissions, and there are accidents on the road.

Despite the downside, cars can now be made with hybrids or electric engines to reduce their carbon footprint while still having all the benefits of bridging society. So, while new technology brings risks, there is always potential to manage them for the common benefit.

Based on our previous history, I have a lot of hope in humanity. I try to be realistic but maintain hope that if things get tough, we will hopefully work it out,

Wave of ransomware on the cheap: junk guns still okay for small targets

Multi-year Volkswagen breach points to Chinese hackers

Apple is reportedly canceling the production of its FineWoven iPhone case

AI Salvador Dali awaits your call

Subscribe to our newsletter

See the original post:

Can technology save us from an ecological apocalypse? - interview - CyberNews.com

What GAO Found

New vehicles are increasingly equipped with driver assistance technologies designed to prevent or mitigate crashes (crash avoidance technologies) and support the driving task (driver support systems). According to interviewed stakeholders and research GAO reviewed, when drivers have a realistic understanding of their vehicles' driver assistance technologies, they are more likely to use them as intended. There is some evidence, however, that consumers do not always have an accurate understanding of technologies' capabilities and limitations. One study found that between 27 and 79 percent of consumers surveyed had misperceptions about the limitations of different crash avoidance technologies in their vehicles. In addition, misuse is a safety concern particular to partial driving automation systems, a type of driver support system, which can take over some of the driving tasks in a vehicle but still requires the full attention of the driver.

Vehicle Dashboard Displays Driver Assistance Technology Activation

Within the Department of Transportation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides consumers with information on crash avoidance technologies through its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), additional information on its website, and other means. NHTSA uses checkmarks to indicate whether vehicles come equipped with the four crash avoidance technologies that it recommends and that meet NHTSA's performance criteria. In 2022, NHTSA published a draft roadmap with plans to upgrade NCAP, including recommending four more crash avoidance technologies and developing a rating system for them. These upgrades would provide more comprehensive and comparative information to consumers. However, NHTSA has not finalized its roadmap and has missed time frames even though work on these upgrades started years ago. Developing realistic time frames and publicly communicating its progress could help NHTSA provide consumers with more meaningful information. Aside from NCAP, NHTSA provides consumers with a description on partial driving automation systems, but there is little information about their intended use and operational limitations. Providing this information could assist consumers in developing a more accurate understanding of these systems.

According to NHTSA, almost 42,800 people died in vehicle crashes in 2022. New vehicles are increasingly equipped with driver assistance technologies that could help reduce crashes and fatalities. NHTSA administers NCAP to educate consumers about vehicle safety, including driver assistance technologies, and to assist in consumers' purchasing decisions.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, included a provision for GAO to review consumer education about driver assistance technologies. Among the issues this report examines are (1) consumers' use and understanding of driver assistance technologies; and (2) the extent to which NHTSA contributes to consumers' understanding and using the technologies as intended.

GAO reviewed NHTSA's relevant rulemaking documents, website, and studies; analyzed a nongeneralizable sample of NHTSA consumer complaint data; and interviewed NHTSA and other relevant agency officials and a range of industry stakeholders, including automakers and safety organizations. GAO assessed NHTSA's efforts against key project schedule management practices.

See more here:

Driver Assistance Technologies: NHTSA Should Take Action to Enhance Consumer Understanding of Capabilities and ... - Government Accountability Office