Featured January 9, 2023
Smart AR Contact Lenses Inching Closer to Reality
Mojo Vision has developed a new augmented reality (AR) contact lens that it claims will change how humans see and interact with the world.
The smart contact lens has an inbuilt display that gives users live information about their surroundings without affecting their perception of the world, according to Steve Sinclair, Mojo Vision senior vice president of product and marketing.
Also read: Could A ChatGPT-Enhanced Bing Kill Google?
“Mojo Lens [as the lens is known] is designed not to bombard you with data but to elevate your vision by proving the information you need exactly when it’s needed,” he said. “When not in use, the technology just fades away. We call this concept ‘invisible computing.'”
The Mojo Lens
Mojo Vision contact lens: How it works
Mojo Vision had already been working on a smart contact lens for about five years before the company first came onto the public scene in 2018. Actual research and development around the idea started 10 years earlier, officials say.
The company raised $205 million in funding led by Dolby Family Ventures, HP Tech Ventures, Motorola Solutions, Edge Investments, Amazon Alexa Fund and others. In April 2022, Mojo Vision unveiled its first “feature complete” prototype of the smart contact lens.
The prototype is now almost ready to start testing in the eye internally, after years of external tests. According to Mike Weimer, Mojo Vision CTO and cofounder, the AR contact lens works even with eyes closed, allowing users to see in the dark or in low light situations.
The lens includes thin films, biosafe batteries to power the system as well as motion sensors to enable “accurate eye-tracking.” It also carries a low-powered image sensor that is used for computer vision and scene detection, the same kind of tech used in smart watches.
“At the heart of the contact lens is the world’s smallest and densest dynamic LED display,” he elaborated in a YouTube video. “With this we can display crisp, text, photos and video in a package that is less than 1mm in diameter”
However, the screen displays content only in shades of green even in the latest prototype. Resolution comes in at 14,000 pixels per inch. The lens are made to be worn and removed, then charged in their own case wirelessly overnight, disinfected, and then you can wear them again.
The prototype does not have any lag when streaming visual data. Anyone hooked up with the eyewear will be able to interact with AR content at just a glance, the company claims.
Real world application of Mojo Vision AR lens
The Mojo Lens technology can be used for a number of real world applications. For instance, the lens helps to enhance one’s view of the world around without clicking anything or looking down. It can be used to display calendar or route information in everyday life.
“One of our first medical applications is using augmented reality overlays like edge detection and contrasting to help people with vision impairments such as glaucoma and macular degeneration,” said Mojo Vision CEO Drew Perkins.
Whether you’re out for a run or running a meeting, see what’s coming next without looking away at a device. One day Mojo Lens will provide step-by-step guidance during your event—not just before or after. #duringdata Learn about Mojo Lens here: https://t.co/zI6DNNe1PO pic.twitter.com/kir3X1qB3D
— Mojo Vision (@MojoVisionInc) August 26, 2022
Uptake for the lens is also expected in sport. Mojo Vision has worked closely with some of the biggest names in fitness such as Adidas to provide what its calling an “eyes-up, hands-free” workout. The lens is said to display relevant measurements say during running.
Much of what the Mojo Lens does or is expected to do remains speculative at this stage, according to Scott Stein, editor at large at CNET. Stein first reviewed the smart contact lens before the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 at CES in Las Vegas.
“I got to look at this eye-tracking display technology. It is not augmented reality,” he explained on Twitter.
“It’s not the same thing as, you know, casting 3D objects into the real world like when you say ‘magic leap’ or Snapchat glasses or any of the technology that you will see coming soon. But it is a form of AR in that it will display things that you could see while interacting with the world.”
Snap Inc’s “Spectacles,” initially released in 2016, began incorporating AR elements in its third generation product last year.
Mojo Lens five years away from everyday use
Perkins, the Mojo Vision CEO, says the company’s microLED technology will “disrupt the entire $160 billion display industry”. He believes the tech is ahead of the curve and could be used for next-generation headsets, advanced televisions and video walls.
However, the company has found the going tough. It announced recently it would layoff 75% of its staff to cut costs – a trend that has become common within the tech industry in recent months. Mojo Vision also paused the development of the product due to a lack of funding.
“Even though the pursuit of our vision for Invisible Computing is on hold for now, we strongly believe that there will be a future market for Mojo Lens and expect to accelerate it when the time is right,” Perkins wrote.
Mojo Lens is about five years away from being able to bring to the market any real, actual everyday use products. When that happens it is likely that the tech will be used first to help improve vision for those with vision impairments.
AI
Japan Leads the Way by Adapting Copyright Laws to the Rise of AI
In a groundbreaking move, the Japanese government announced that copyrighted materials used in artificial intelligence (A.I.) training would not be protected under intellectual property laws, according to local media reports.
The Minister for Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Keiko Nagaoka, confirmed this decision. Nagoka stated that it was applicable to A.I. datasets regardless of their purpose or source.
The policy shift was a response to the increasing significance of A.I. across various industries, including robotics, machine learning, and natural language processing.
Japan aims to foster an open and collaborative environment by exempting A.I. training data from copyright restrictions to stimulate innovation and progress.
This move has sparked a global conversation about the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and intellectual property rights, raising important questions about balancing innovation and copyright protection.
A.I. training, copyright laws, and fair use policy
Japan’s decision to exempt A.I. training data from copyright laws has sparked global discussions on the delicate balance between intellectual property protection and A.I. advancements.
The Japanese copyright strategy is similar to the United States Fair Use Policy. The Fair use policy promotes freedom of expression by permitting the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works in certain circumstances. Most European countries also have an open policy toward using copyrighted materials in A.I. training.
Over the past months, several high-profile cases have involved A.I. training and copyright law. The U.S. House Judiciary Committee recently held a hearing examining the intersection of generative A.I. and copyright law.
Speaking at the committee hearing, Sy Damle, a former General Counsel of the U.S. Copyright Office, argued in support of the fair use policy, describing the use of copyrighted works to learn new facts as “quintessential fair use.”
How does this impact the A.I. industry?
Several experts have aligned with Japan’s notion that removing copyright barriers in A.I. training will expedite the development of innovative solutions, ultimately driving economic growth in AI-dependent sectors.
Additionally, the move could prompt a reassessment of copyright laws in other nations as governments grapple with the challenges presented by A.I. technology.
While its long-term impact remains uncertain, Japan’s bold step signifies a significant milestone in the global conversation surrounding A.I., copyright, and the necessary legal frameworks to support these emerging technologies reshaping our world.
Japan warns OpenAI about collecting sensitive data
Reuters reported that Japanese regulators had warned OpenAI against collecting sensitive information without people’s consent.
Japan’s Personal Information Protection Commission told the ChatGPT-creator to minimize its collection of sensitive data for machine learning, adding that it may take action against the firm if its concerns persist.
The warning is coming amid reports that over half of Japan’s population wants more stringent control of the A.I. sector. According to the report, there is widespread concern among the people about the general use of such tools.
Meanwhile, Japan is not the only country concerned about OpenAI’s data collection methods. Earlier in the year, Italy temporarily banned ChatGPT over privacy concerns.
Business
Twitter Now Worth Only a Third of Musk’s $44B Purchase Price
It’s been almost seven months since Elon Musk acquired Twitter for $44 billion but the tech entrepreneur has failed to invigorate the company’s fortunes. Financial services corporation Fidelity now estimate the value of the app to stand at just 33% of Musk’s purchase price.
Musk completed his famous takeover of the microblogging site in October, fulfilling his long-term desire to be the boss of Twitter.
The tech billionaire was criticized for overspending on Twitter during the acquisition. Musk paid $44 billion for Twitter, with $33.5 billion in equity. However, Musk has also acknowledged he overpaid and said it was only worth half of what he paid.
“Myself and the other investors are obviously overpaying for Twitter right now. The long term potential for Twitter in my view is an order of magnitude greater than its current value,” said Musk.
Twitter was valued at $20 billion in March by Musk himself in an email that was sent to the company’s employees.
Reminder: Elon Musk massively overspent on his Twitter purchase out of ego and now wants you to pay for it through a subscription plan 😂
— tridder.pugs (@tridder46290) November 3, 2022
Twitter struggles under Musk
Following Musk’s takeover, many corporations and companies cut ties with the platform. Musk’s erratic decision-making and management style is blamed on driving a host of advertisers away.
Ford, General Motors, Volkswagen, General Mills, Mondelez, Pfizer, and United Airlines are among the major corporations that paused or pulled their advertisements from Twitter due to concerns regarding hate speech and conspiracy theories.
International ad and consulting firm Interpublic, which represents American Express, Coca-Cola, Fitbit, Spotify, and dozens of other major corporations, has also stopped advertising on the platform. That cut caused Twitter to lose $24 billion. Given the recent advertiser exodus it is unsurprising that Fidelity downgraded Twitter’s value – but it remains unclear exactly how they arrived at a final valuation.
In November, Fidelity initially decreased the value of its Twitter stake to 44% of the purchase price. This was followed by subsequent markdowns in December and February.
“In 2021, Twitter generated more than 4.5 billion U.S. dollars in advertising service revenues, up from 3.2 billion U.S. dollars in the previous year,” according to Statista.
Also Read: Six Months of Twitter Under the Rule of Elon Musk
Additionally, the micro-blogging platform produced around $571 million in data licensing revenue, up from $508 million 2020.
Insider Intelligence projected “that Twitter’s 2023 ad revenues would reach $4.74 billion worldwide.” However, since Musk took charge, the market research company has cut its projection by “nearly $2 billion, to just $2.98 billion, as the app grapples with brand safety issues, confusing policies, and broken technology.”
Twitter Blue: a flop card
Twitter Blue, a subscription-based verification checkmark with various features, remains one of the most popular changes in Musk’s brief tenure.
In November, the Tesla chief introduced a feature called “Blue for $8/month,” which brought a drastic change to Twitter’s policy by providing a verification checkmark known as a Blue tick.
This feature also offers additional benefits such as the ability to edit tweets, half-ads, longer tweets, text formatting, bookmark folders, NFT profile pictures, etc.
Interestingly, though, the change has been copied by Facebook and Instagram owner Meta, whose subscription service Meta Verified lets users add a blue checkmark to their accounts.
You will also get:
– Priority in replies, mentions & search, which is essential to defeat spam/scam
– Ability to post long video & audio
– Half as many ads— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 1, 2022
Musk faced accusations of charging its users to cover his $44 billion, which he invested to become the boss. Despite the criticism for removing legacy checkmarks from popular accounts, Twitter Blue generated $11 million on mobile in its first three months as a new product.
The amount it has generated is slightly lower than expected, as Twitter has 368 million monthly active users worldwide.
However, Twitter is adding more features to the paid verification badge as Musk tries to develop it as a flagship product under the Twitter umbrella.
Featured
Mark Zuckerberg Unveils $500 Meta Quest 3 VR Headset
Mark Zuckerberg has announced the new Meta Quest 3 virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) headset. The new version of the Quest will feature a higher-resolution display, a faster processor, and improved tracking, the Meta founder and CEO claimed.
In a blog post on Thursday, Meta revealed the headset also features a new design that is 40% thinner and more comfortable to wear compared to Quest 2, its predecessor. Quest 3 will be released later this year in over 20 countries, including the U.S., Canada, UK and Australia.
The 128GB headset starts at a price of $499.99 and users have the option to pay for more storage space. However, a lot more detail about the headset was left unannounced, including the full specifications of the chipset that will power it.
Zuckerberg said more information about the new Quest would be revealed at Meta’s “Connect” conference on Sept. 27. “Quest 3 will be the best way to experience MR and virtual reality in a standalone device. It’ll be compatible with Quest 2’s entire library…” he wrote on Instagram.
Virtual reality market heats up
The launch of Meta’s Quest 3 comes at a time when the virtual reality market is starting to heat up. Apple is reportedly working on its own headset that is expected to be launched on Monday during the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference.
Also read: 3 Top Headsets to Watch: Samsung XR Glasses, Meta Quest Pro, Apple Reality Pro
The headset is rumored to be similar to the Meta Quest 3 in terms of its focus on graphics and comfort. According to industry reports, it will be used for gaming and social features. Other companies such as Sony and Magic Leap, are also developing new virtual reality products.
Earlier this week, PC maker Lenovo announced that its enterprise-focused ThinkReality VRX headset had gone on sale with a starting price of $1,299.
Meta did not discuss Apple’s imminent headset launch. But the timing of Mark Zuckerberg’s reveal suggests it may have been scheduled to beat Apple to market. For a long time, Meta, formerly Facebook, has looked to VR and augmented reality as the next big thing in tech.
It is all part of Zuckerberg’s grand plan to build the metaverse, a virtual world where people can work, play, and socialize. Quest 3 will be a key part of that strategy. The headset is the “first” that can provide both virtual reality and mixed reality experiences in a single device.
This means users can fully immerse themselves in virtual worlds, or they can overlay virtual objects onto the real world.
“Ultimately, our vision is to…[go] beyond the rigid classifications of ‘virtual reality’ and ‘mixed reality’ to deliver truly next-gen experiences that let you effortlessly blend the physical and virtual worlds,” said Mark Rankin, Meta’s vice president of virtual reality.
“Meta Reality gives you both the deep, immersive magic of VR and the freedom and delight of making your physical world more fun and useful with MR. We’re excited to see what developers and creators can build on the Quest Platform…”
The Quest 3 upgrade
According to Meta’s blog post, the new version of the Quest is a significant upgrade over its predecessor, the Meta Quest 2. It features a higher-resolution display than Quest 2, meaning that images and videos will look sharper and more detailed.
The Quest 3 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, which Meta claims to be significantly faster and more powerful than the processor in Quest 2. Meta said the new chipset will allow for more immersive and realistic virtual realty experiences.
With a battery life of up to three hours, the headset comes with new controllers to help with how people can use it more effectively and efficiently. The new system is fully capable of AR gaming and users can still access over 500 VR games, apps, and experiences from Quest 2.
Meta said the Quest 2, which has been well received in the market since launch in 2020, will see its price drop to $299.99 from $400 starting June 4. The product will also receive software updates to boost performance and speed.
“Quest 2 remains our most affordable entry point to VR and [Quest] Pro is optimized for work use cases, with face and eye tracking for more authentic self-expression in meetings,” the firm said in its announcement.
“We’ll continue to sell Quest 2 and Pro alongside Quest 3, and we’ll keep shipping new software updates to make the Quest experience even better.”
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