Mediaboss Marketing

Camo, an app that lets you use an iOS, Android, or iPadOS device as a webcam for your computer, is introducing a new feature that could be very interesting for streamers and those who take every Zoom meeting very seriously. The app now includes the ability to create overlays and add them to your video stream, letting you include info such as your social media handles or name and pronouns anywhere your video appears.

Camos adding overlays at a very interesting time Apple just announced a feature called Continuity Camera, which will also let you use your iPhone as a webcam for your Mac without having to install any extra software.

Reincubate, the company behind Camo, says that the feature is a part of Thursdays 1.7 update. Using the desktop app (which also manages pulling the video from your phone to your computer and adjusting settings), youll be able to select from 17 template overlays, which you can edit to fit your needs. You can also build your own overlays, adding text and graphics with a drag-and-drop interface.

The company says youll be able to switch between different overlays via keyboard shortcuts, which could be handy for people who do a lot of presentations or streaming and havent added any Stream Deck-like hardware to their setup. Camo users will also be able to export and import overlays, which could be handy for groups that all want their video feeds to look the same (like in a business or game-streaming collective).

Adding overlays to your webcam footage isnt a brand-new idea; programs like Open Broadcaster Software (commonly known as OBS) and StreamElements have let you do that for quite a while. But setting that up to work with other programs like Zoom, Teams, or Discord could be a bit of a challenge. Camo, on the other hand, boasts that using its software with most videoconferencing apps is as easy as changing the camera input.

Camos press release is quick to point out some of the advantages of its solution, even without the addition of overlays. The company says that its app goes far beyond Apples unreleased Continuity Camera functionality, with support for iPad, Windows, Android, overlays, lens selection, granular image control, AR effects, enterprise support, greater iOS & iPhone compatibility, a powerful SDK, and a host of other features.

But what it doesnt mention is that some of those features, like the ability to choose which lens your phone uses, support for portrait mode, and image adjustments, require the $40 per year Camo Pro subscription if you want to use them with your iPhone or iPad (the company does say that its Android app currently offers all available features for free). It also doesnt mention the convenience factor; Continuity Camera will work wirelessly, whereas Camo requires connecting your phone to your computer with a cable.

With that said, that little bit of effort (and, potentially, money spent) will give you way more functionality and flexibility than what Apples promising. And the overlay editor will be part of the free version of the app, according to an email to The Verge from Reincubates head of marketing, Dean Maskell, which definitely helps Camos case.

While many people who have both an iPhone and Mac will likely go with the free, built-in Continuity Camera, this update makes it seem like the Camo team is doubling down to better serve the niche of people that will appreciate the apps extra features. To me, that definitely seems like the right move.

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Camo update lets you overlay graphics and text when using your phone as a webcam - The Verge

Facial recognition technology is being used in warfare for the first time. It could be a game changer in Ukraine, where it is being used to identify the dead and reunite families. But if we fail to grapple with the ethics of this technology now, we could find ourselves in a human rights minefield.

Ukraines Ministry of Defence has been using Clearview AI facial recognition software since March 2022 to build a case for war crimes and identify the dead both Russian and Ukrainian. The Ministry of Digital Transformation in Ukraine said it is using Clearview AI technology to give Russians the chance to experience the true cost of the war, and to let families know that if they want to find their loved ones bodies, they are welcome to come to Ukraine.

Ukraine is being given free access to the software. Its also being used at checkpoints and could help reunite refugees with their families.

Last month, however, the UK Information Commissioners Office (ICO) fined Clearview AI more than 7.5 million for collecting images of people in the UK and elsewhere from the web and social media. It was ordered to delete the images and stop obtaining and using the personal data of UK residents publicly available on the internet. Originally the ICO said it intended to fine Clearview AI 17 million.

According to the ICO, given the huge number of UK social media users, Clearview AIs face database is likely to contain a significant amount of images collected without consent.

A lawyer for Clearview, AI Lee Wolosky, said: While we appreciate the ICOs desire to reduce their monetary penalty on Clearview AI, we nevertheless stand by our position that the decision to impose any fine is incorrect as a matter of law. Clearview AI is not subject to the ICOs jurisdiction, and Clearview AI does no business in the UK at this time.

Clearview AI has said it wants 100 billion face images in its database by early 2023 equivalent to 14 for every person on Earth. Multiple photos of the same person improve the systems accuracy.

According to Clearview AIs website, its facial recognition technology helps law enforcement tackle crime, and enables transportation businesses, banks and other commercial companies to detect theft, prevent fraud and verify identities.

Buzzfeed reported in February 2020 that several British police forces have previously used Clearview AI. A spokeswoman for Clearview AI said police in the UK do not have access to its technology, while spokespeople for both the National Crime Agency and Metropolitan police would neither confirm nor deny use of specific tools or techniques. However, in March 2022 the College of Policing published new guidance for UK police forces on the use of live facial recognition.

The UK government plans to replace key human rights laws with a new Modern Bill of Rights which could make it difficult, if not impossible, for people to challenge decisions based on AI evidence in court, including facial recognition.

According to advocacy group Liberty , the bill is likely to have a disproportionate impact on over-policed communities, as it would create different classes of claimants based on their past behaviour.

Clearview AIs chief executive Hoan Ton-That said its facial recognition software has allowed Ukrainian law enforcement and government officials to store more than 2 billion images from VKontakte, a Russian social networking service. Hoan said the software can help Ukrainian officials identify dead soldiers more efficiently than fingerprints, and works even if a soldiers face is damaged.

But there is conflicting evidence about facial recognition softwares effectiveness. According to the US Department of Energy, decomposition of a persons face can reduce the softwares accuracy. On the other hand, recent scientific research demonstrated results relating to the identification of dead people that were similar to or better than human assessment.

Research suggests fingerprints, dental records and DNA are still the most reliable identification techniques. But they are tools for trained professionals, while facial recognition can be used by non-experts.

Another issue flagged by research is that facial recognition can mistakenly pair two images, or fail to match photos of the same person. In Ukraine, the consequences of any potential error with AI could be disastrous. An innocent civilian could be killed if they are misidentified as a Russian soldier.

In 2016 Hoan began recruiting computer science engineers to create Clearview AIs algorithm. But it was not until 2019 that the American facial recognition company started discretely providing its software to US police and law enforcement agencies.

In January 2020, The New York Times published its story: The Secretive Company That Might End Privacy as We Know It. This article prompted more than 40 civil rights and tech organisations to send a letter to the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board and four US congressional committees, demanding the suspension of Clearview AIs facial recognition software.

In February 2020, following a data leak of Clearview AIs client list, BuzzFeed revealed that Clearview AIs facial recognition software was being used by individuals in more than 2,200 law enforcement departments, government agencies and companies across 27 different countries.

On May 9 2022, Clearview AI agreed to stop selling access to its face database to individuals and businesses in the US, after the American Civil Liberties Union launched a lawsuit accusing Clearview AI of breaching an Illinois privacy law.

Over the last two years, data protection authorities in Canada, France, Italy, Austria and Greece have all fined, investigated or banned Clearview AI from collecting images of people.

The future of Clearview AI in the UK is uncertain. The worst-case scenario for ordinary people and businesses would be if the UK government fails to take on board the concerns raised in response to its consultation on the Modern Bill of Rights. Liberty has warned of a potential human rights power grab.

The best outcome, in my opinion, would be for the UK government to scrap its plans for a Modern Bill of Rights. This would also mean that UK courts should continue to take account of cases from the European Court of Human Rights as case law.

Unless laws governing the use of facial recognition are adopted, police use of this technology risks breaching privacy rights, data protection and equality laws.

Originally posted here:
Facial recognition technology: how it's being used in Ukraine and why it's still so controversial - The Conversation Indonesia

Georges Aoude and Karl Jeanbart are co-founders of Derq, a software development company that provides cities and fleets with an AI-powered infrastructure platform for road safety and traffic management that supports the deployment of autonomous vehicles at scale.

While in-vehicle technology for autonomous vehicles gets substantial attention, service providers and municipalities are just starting to discuss the road infrastructure technology that supports AVs and provides other traffic management benefits.

With advancements in artificial intelligence and 5G network connectivity, smart-road infrastructure technologies offer the promise of improving real-time traffic analytics and tackling the most challenging road safety and traffic management problems when theyre added to roads, bridges and other transit systems across the U.S.

Two technologies at the center of this discussion are AI-enhanced cameras and lidar: light detection and ranging devices.

The U.S. has hundreds of thousands of traffic cameras millions when you also count closed-circuit TV cameras used mainly for road monitoring and basic traffic management applications, such as loop emulation. Bringing the latest AI advancements to both cameras and data management systems, these assets can immediately improve basic application performance and unlock more advanced software applications and use cases.

AI and machine learning deliver superior sensing performance over legacy cameras computer vision techniques. By using algorithms that can automatically adapt to various lighting and weather conditions, they enable more robust, flexible and accurate detection, tracking and classification of all road users distinguishing between a driver, pedestrian, and cyclist on or surrounding the road. In addition, their predictive capabilities can better model road-user movements and behaviors and improve road safety. Transportation agencies can immediately benefit from AI-enhanced cameras with applications such as road conflict detection and analysis, pedestrian crossing prediction and infrastructure sensing for AV deployments.

Lidar can provide complementary and sometimes overlapping value with cameras, but in several safety-critical edge cases, such as in heavy rain and snow or when providing more granular classification, our experience has been that cameras still provide superior results. Lidar works better in challenging light conditions and for providing localization data, but todays lidar technology remains expensive to deploy at scale due to its high unit price and limited field of view. For example, it would take multiple lidar sensors deployed in a single intersection, at a hefty investment, to provide the equivalent information of just one 360-degree AI-enhanced camera, which is a more cost-effective solution.

For many budget-focused communities, AI-enhanced cameras remain the technology of choice. Over time, as the cost of lidar technology moderates, communities should consider whether to augment their infrastructure with lidar sensors.

As the cost of lidar technology comes down, it will become a strong and viable addition to todays AI-enhanced cameras. Ultimately, the go-to approach for smart infrastructure solutions will be sensor fusion the ability to combine data from both cameras and lidar in one data management system, as is happening now in autonomous vehicles to maximize the benefits of both to improve overall traffic flow and eliminate road crashes and fatalities.

SOURCE: Derq*Assumes presence of IR or good low-light sensor**Expected to improve with time

Contributed pieces do not reflect an editorial position by Smart Cities Dive.

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AI-enabled cameras and lidar can improve traffic today and support the AVs of tomorrow - Smart Cities Dive

The newMeta Immersive Learning Academy (MILA) will enable beginner and professional AR and VR creators to build their skills and capabilities. Singapore will be the first country to launch MILA in the region.

Meta has introduced two new programmes and two curriculum updates under the 2022 edition of its Upskill initiative, the company'slargest training initiative in Singapore.

Announced at a launch event attended byHuman Resources Onlineon Tuesday (14 June 2022), the programmes are namely:

Upskill is an initiative targeted at students, job seekers, working professionals, academics, and businesses, run by Meta and supported by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), Enterprise Singapore (ESG), and Digital Industry Singapore (DISG). As part of this, the four above-mentioned programmes will run in phases from June 2022.

Commenting on the initiative, Damian Kim, Singapore Managing Director, Meta, said on Tuesday: "We are extremely encouraged by the reception we've seen for Upskill since its 2021 launch, and in just over a year, our initiatives have benefited more than 3,600 individuals and 300 SMEs.

"This is why we are proud to announce the four new upskilling initiatives today, as we continue to play an active role in supporting Singapores talent. To unlock the potential for our communities to use emerging technology to live, work and play, we need to invest in skills development and training. These new initiatives will further provide the Singapore community and local businesses not only with invaluable skills, but also enable them to find and create jobs and industries of the future."

"With the metaverse expected to add S$1tn to the APAC economy by 2031 and the need to increase Singapores digital workers to 1.2mn up 55% from current levels by 2025, Metas investment in these new initiatives is the companys contribution to ensure Singapores workforce has the necessary skills to participate in the next evolution of the internet," it was noted in a press release.

"Singapores burgeoning creators ecosystem will also receive a boost from MILA, which will help spearhead the next generation of creators to earn the necessary certifications to build a career in AR and VR."

In the same vein, Minister of Communications and Information Josephine Teo, who was present at the event, affirmed: "A future-ready workforce helps a nation seize growth opportunities, benefitting individuals and society. One area of growth is digital. In Southeast Asia, the digital economy is expected to more than double in size between end-2021 and 2025, according to a report by Google, Bain, and Temasek.

"Without the right skill sets, some workers will lose their relevance and find themselves in a very difficult position. With the right skill sets, those very same workers could thrive and bring a whole new lease of life to their careers, and invigorate their family circumstances and uplift the community that they are a part of."

Meta Immersive Learning Academy

Meta Career Programs: Software Engineering Professional Certificates

Meta Career Programs Job Board

Meta Boost

About the programme

The Meta Immersive learning Academy (MILA) offers a complete journey for anyone keen to explore the rapidly growing field of extended reality (XR) technologies. It is designed to deploy educational programmes such as the Spark AR Curriculum, which teaches creators how to build AR experiences using Spark AR.

Today, this ranges from AR effects that are applied to people and objects, and are increasingly applied to places and spaces in the world around us. The ILA also features a creators ecosystem that allows the next generation of creators to earn the necessary certifications to build a career in augmented reality, have a chance to be mentored by industry experts, participate in real life briefs, and monetise and market their Spark AR creations.

Meta provides 200 scholarships for Singaporean learners targeting entry-level software engineering learners regardless of education, background no degree or experience necessary. Our current career credentialing programmes are for anyone who wants to launch their career as a front-end developer, back-end developer, ios developer, android developer, and database engineer.

In these learning programmes, learners will be guided through each step to ensure they master the core skills at their own pace. They will also build on-the-job experience through hands-on projects that will help them land their next job.

The Meta Career Programs Job Board is an exclusive job search platform that connects Meta certified professionals with 200+ top employers who have committed to sourcing talent through Meta Career Programs.

Meta Career Programs offers free online courses where learners can gain in-demand digital skills in high-growth fields and earn an industry-recognized credential. 87% of certified learners experienced improved knowledge.

By sourcing talent through this Job Board, employers can also tap into a pool of highly-qualified candidates from diverse and inclusive backgrounds. 79% of employers say certified employees produce higher quality work.

The Meta Boost programme aims to provide free educational workshops and is designed to empower local businesses and communities with digital skills that can help them engage successfully.

The programme includes a range of digital formats that can be used to help deliver education and diverse perspectives from partners and businesses.

This years programme includes a range of webinars and a mentoring programme for local SMEs. The mentorship will cover social and digital marketing capabilities as well as crucial growth areas such as product development, HR, and finance.

Students and entry-level working professionals and career-switchers seeking to develop software engineering skills Scholarship eligibility requirements:

An initial 200 slots will be open.

Meta certified professionals who are looking to launch their career in the tech industry in Singapore.

Companies looking to hire Meta-certified tech talent in Singapore.

ALSO READ:Facebook's Singapore MD emphasises on work ethic and drive every single day of the week

Lead image / Journalist's own, taken at the Upskill 2022 launch event on 14 June 2022

[Pictured fromL-R Clara Koh, Head of Public Policy, Singapore and ASEAN, Meta; Damian Kim, Singapore Managing Director, Meta; Josephine Teo,Minister of Communications and Information; Aisyah Aman Aljunied, Upskill 2021 Graduate, and Rajeshpal Singh, Director of Government Affairs& Strategic Partnerships, SGTECH.

Human Resources Online is on Telegram! Follow us@humanresourcesonlineorclick herefor all the latest weekly HR and manpower news from around the region.

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An immersive learning academy, new certification programme for software engineers, and more: Meta's Upskill 2022 initiative - Human Resources Online

[co-author: Wolfram Ott]*

On May 12, 2022, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued guidance addressing the application of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to employers utilizing software, algorithms, and artificial intelligence in hiring and employment decisions. Produced in connection with the EEOCs launch of its Initiative on Artificial Intelligence and Algorithmic Fairness in October 2021, the EEOCs latest guidance reflects its goal of ensuring that employers utilizing technology in hiring and employment decisions are complying with federal civil rights laws. Notably, the guidance was issued a few days after the EEOC filed a complaint against a software company alleging age discrimination, potentially signaling similar actions related to the use of artificial intelligence in the employment context. Below are some key takeaways on the new guidance.

Scope and Definitions

The guidance implicates a broad range of technologies commonly utilized by employers including software, algorithms, and artificial intelligence:

Employers may use tools that include a combination of these terms. For example, an employer may utilize resume screening software that incorporates an algorithm created by human design or an algorithm that is supplemented by AI analysis of data.

Ways in Which Algorithmic Decision-Making Tools may Violate the ADA

The guidance discusses the three most common ways that an employers use of algorithmic decision-making tools could violate the ADA. This includes the following:

Employer Responsibility for Vendor Technology

Importantly, the EEOC guidance states that employers are generally responsible for the discriminatory effects of software utilized in the hiring process even when the software is utilized by third-party on behalf of the employer.

Best Practices for Employers

The EEOC offered so-called Promising Practices for employers seeking to ensure compliance with the ADA. These recommendations provide helpful suggestions about ways in which employers may protect themselves against claims of disability discrimination. Those recommendations include to:

Key Takeaways

May marked the first new developments out of the EEOC relating to AI since the launch of the Initiative on Artificial Intelligence and Algorithmic Fairness. This new guidance provides much needed insight on how the EEOC will enforce the ADA with respect to AI going forward. Employers should utilize the provided Promising Practices to ensure compliance, and avoid possible liability.

Because this issue is still developing, we will continue monitoring developments in this area and provide updates as new information becomes available.

*Wolfram Ott is a summer associate in the Labor and Employment group and assisted with the drafting of this article.

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EEOC Issues Guidance Regarding How Employer Software and Artificial Intelligence May Discriminate Against Individuals With Disabilities - JD Supra