How Boring is Your Face? Ask the 'MemNet' Algorithm

Ever thought of knowing how good your face looks in the pictures captured by the selfie cameras. A group of scientists at the MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory has developed a unique computer algorithm which can easily measure ‘’how memorable an image is’. One is just required to feed the photo from the Instagram feed and the MemNet algorithm will simply show the portion of the images, which are most likely to stick in the memories of viewers. Scientist has even uploaded a version of this algorithm online for everyone to try out.

What is MemNet? 

MmeNet is a deep-learning algorithm, which is designed by the scientist at MIT. Deep learning algorithm is quite hard to develop as they are built to acquire and incorporate new information, which helps in improving their abilities without any manipulation or control of human programmers. Deep learning technologies work in its own unique manner as essentially mimics the neural pathways which area associated with the human learning. This helps deep learning algorithm in repurposing the same logic and understanding for various different skill sets.

MemNet to get better at reading images

MemNet is expected to improve its ability to read images and predict an images’ indelibility by simply processing more and more information over time. These computer scientists have released the MemNet version for the common users to try and with prediction; it will improve its ability of reading faces with more accuracy.

MemNet was first endowed with the basic required skill sets by the MIT scientists through uploading of thousands of images and associated data. The metadata fed to the MemNet basically included the information about each image’s popularity and the emotional impact as determined by the online viewers. When asked to predict the memorable parts within a picture MemNet performed as good as human.

The lead study author, Aditya Khosla, stated that understanding the memorability will help us in making systems, which can capture the most important information, and it can even help in storing the information which are most likely to be forgotten by the humans. Visual images are mostly preferred by a large number of institutions to send across the messages but MemNet can help it making more memorable than before.

Future prospect of the MemNet algorithm

MemNet is not much better at the task of measuring the memorability than any other human but researchers are hopeful it will get better over time. It creates a heatmap to show the memorable part and boring part of each image, which happens to the key elements in understanding the memorability level of the pictures. This algorithm can help the marketers and even the movie makers in editing their images in such a manner than it stays inside the head of the customers and viewers. MemNet can also help people in learning various things easily and efficiently too. People tend to assimilate and forget things more often but the research in developing MemNet opens up a new avenue. It has the potential to improve the people’s memory they are presented with the memorable images.

Facebook’s Artificial-Intelligence Software Gets a Dash More Common Sense

Artificial-Intelligence Researchers – Learn some of the Basic Physical Common Sense

In an attempt to discover how computers could learn some of the basic physical common sense, artificial intelligence researchers have undertaken a project for the same. For instance to comprehend unsupported objects tend to fall or a large object does not fit inside a smaller one, seems to be the main way human tend to predict, communicate and explain regarding the world.

Chief technology officer of Facebook, Mike Schroepfer, state that if machines are to be more useful, they would need the same type of good judgment of understanding. He had informed at a preview recently of results, he would share at the Web Summit in Dublin, Ireland, that they have got to teach computer systems to comprehend the world in the same way. Human beings at a young age, tend to learn the basic physics of reality and by observing the world.

Facebook had drawn on its image processing software in creating a technique which learned to predict if a stack of virtual blocks would tumble. The software tends to study by gaining access to images of virtual stacks or at times two stereo images like those that form a pair of eyes.

Crafting Software – Comprehend Images/Language of Deep Learning

It had been shown in the learning phase, that several various stacks some of which had toppled while the others did not. The simulation showed the learning software the result and after adequate examples, it was capable of predicting for itself with 90% accuracy if a certain stack would possibly tumble. Schroepfer comments that if one runs through a series of tests, it would beat most of the people.

Facebook’s artificial intelligence research group in New York had done the research. It concentrated on crafting software which could comprehend images as well as language utilising a technique of deep learning. Recently the group also showed off a mobile app with the potential of answering queries regarding the content of photos.

The director of the group, Yann LeCun who is also a professor at NYU, informed MIT Technology Review that the system for predicting when block would topple indicates that more complex physical simulation could be utilised in teaching additional basic principles of physical common sense. He added that `it serves to create a baseline if we train the systems uncontrolled and it would have adequate power to figure thing out like that’.

Memory Network

His group had earlier created a system known as `memory network’ which could pick up some of the basic common sense as well as verbal reasoning abilities by reading simple stories and now progressed, in helping in influencing a virtual assistant that Facebook tends to test known as M. M has more potential than Apple’s Siri or similar apps since it is powered by bank of human operators.

 However Facebook expects that they would steadily tend to become less important as the software learns to pitch queries for itself. Schroepfer informs that adding the memory network to M is showing how that could happen. By observing the interactions between people utilising M as well as the responds of customer service, it has learned already how to manage some of the common queries.

Facebook has not made a commitment of turning M into a widely available product; however Schroepfer states that the results indicate how it could be possible. He adds that the system has figured this out by observing humans and that they cannot afford to hire operators for the entire world but with the right AI system, they could organize that for the whole planet.

Gorilla Glass is Making to Cars after Becoming a Dominant Force in Smartphones

Almost every Smartphone nowadays features the Gorilla Glass because of its scratch resistant and strong protective feature. Corning Inc, which is behind the manufacturing of Gorilla Glass has stated that this glass is going to be used in cars after featuring on billions of mobile phones on global scale. Car makers will be making use of Gorilla Glass in order to save weight of their vehicles and to improve the fuel economy.
BMW and Ford set to use Gorilla Glass in cars

Gorilla Glass being used in the car isn’t new as BMW AG was the first car maker to utilize this in the interior panel of the i8 hybrid sports car. Ford Motor Co is all set to use the Gorilla Glass in the windshield and rear window for its upcoming new Ford GT sports car, which will go on sale next year. Ford GT will also feature a Gorilla Glass engine cover.

What makes Gorilla Glass much better than available options? 

The earlier windshields were made up of two layers of specifically heat treated annealed glass and it has a plastic layer in between. Therefore, traditional glass formed the spider web pattern when it broke down and the pieces remain stuck to the plastic layer, which helped in preventing injury to passengers. Gorilla Glass meets U.S. safety standards and it happens to tougher than traditional annealed glass, which makes it an ideal choice for cars.

Exceptions from using this glass

Gorilla Glass is great in every manner but it does have some limitations in usage. Ford won’t be using the Gorilla Glass for the side windows of the GT and it will be made of tempered glass. Automakers have to rely on suing the tempered glass on side windows because it can be breaking into pieces when someone has to exit the car in a crash. Having a Gorilla Glass will mean adding a layer of plastic over the glass, which will turn it into unbreakable, which can put people lives in danger during crash. However the business director of Corning’s automotive glass business has stated that they are working on a different version of Gorilla Glass which be used throughout the vehicle.

Everything isn’t in favor of Gorilla Glass

Gorilla Glass has been used in the consumer electronics since 2007 and Corning made its foray in the automotive glass in 2012. In order to meet the stricter fuel economy standards several automakers are looking at various options to reduce weight in cars. Weight happens to be the enemy of the car, which seriously hampers the process of reaching awesome fuel economy in automobiles. Corning Glass does offer help in saving weight but it is quite expensive than the traditional glass. Gorilla glass costs $2 to $4 more per pound in weight than the traditional glass. To summarize Ford will be able to save 12 pounds on GT, which will mean spending $12 to $48, more on the car. An expensive car like GT which comes at price tag of $400,000 can easily absorb this expensive but mainstream car can’t.

Google Brings Project Fi Data Service to iPads, Nexus and Galaxy Tablets

Google has unrelieved its Project Fi service quite a while back in order to offer a carrier like option and benefits to its users. Project Fi gained popularity for its ‘pay what you use’ mantra, which was available to only few devices. Now Google has brought its efficient Project Fi to a larger group of devices which at the moment is limited to five tablets but Google has maintained any tablet equipped with radio compatible T-Mobile’s network will work with it efficiently. The first four supported tablets include the iPad mini 4, iPad Air 2, Galaxy Tab S, Nexus 7 and Nexus 9.

What is Project Fi? 

If you are wondering what is Project Fi then it can be stated as a prepaid phone carrier offering from Google. It works by providing mobile data service on two mobile networks which any phone can switch automatically as per the use. It even makes use of WiFi for making calls, sending texts whenever it is available. Project Fi is essentially a prepaid carrier wherein consumers are to pay up front for the service, which is quite opposite to traditional carrier, which bills consumers after using the service. Project Fi works with a special SIM card and it requires a little software on user’s phone, which will help in authenticating both T Mobile and Sprint carriers.

How to get the Project Fi? 

Project Fi customers can order a data only SIM card by going to their account page. In the Project Fi there is no charge levied on the card and data usage is billed on the standard rate of service which is $10 per GB during the billing cycle.

It is worth mentioning that the data usage for the tablet simply shares the same billing account as standard voice, text and data plane in Project Fi. It even allows users to see the data usage for tablets each month separately from the data usage on phone. And the best feature about Project Fi is that just like the phone service if you don’t use full data allotment on tablet then you won’t be paying for it. Google happens to credit Project Fi accounts monthly, which in essence means you, are only paying for what you use.

Benefits of opting for the Project Fi

Some of the Project Fi users love the data only SIM offering. User can use their phone with Project Fi SIM to tether a tablet over WiFi. In case the battery dies, the tablet will cease to have any mobile broadband connection. People who have to travel a lot appreciate this new SIM card as it provides data in more than 120 countries all round the globe.

There is a small limitation in Project Fi data service, which is Google, only allows 9 data specific SIM cars on each FI account. It won’t be an issue unless you are carrying 10 devices with yourself. Google has brought the Project Fi service both the popular mobile platform of Android and iOS and you make most of it on your tablet with style.

Facebook Claims Future As It Builds On Chinese Rivals

Facebook doesn’t seem to sit back even after becoming the de facto social media giant in terms of daily active users and incredible reach round the globe. Facebook once again takes the world by storm by announcing its new feature for the Messenger users where they can order an Uber car from the Messenger app itself. Facebook has turned its simple messaging client into a wholesome platform and it is pushing it hard to be seen as a leader in the West.

How Messenger became a platform? 

The platform and its definitions have been heard since the inception of internet. First we have had CPU where operating system platform was heard, then Linux development brought the platform of kernerl and later on we were enveloped by the web as platform for the enterprise and finally even the web browser became a dominant platform in itself with the development of Chromebook. Facebook and some other websites are even proclaiming them to be a platform with various benefits and features.

Facebook has gradually worked and developed the Messenger to such a point where it is being pushed forward as a platform. The move of Facebook and Uber coming together on a single platform i.e. Messenger is interesting and it showcases the Messenger capabilities and might even help in making a dominant platform. But Facebook IM client-Messenger is not alone there are a lot of competition in Silicon Valley with players like WhatsApp, Apple Messages and Skype which offers more features, services and benefits as a platform.

Facebook takes the Chinese rivals head on

It will come as surprise for the consumers in west that Facebook and Silicon Valley is rather behind the curve on the idea of ‘’messaging as a platform”. China has been a remarkable force in the hardware production they have taken a huge leap in the ‘messaging as a platform’ by working on developer outreach, user education along with the commercial implementation and mass-market adoption. It was the China’s TenCent’s WeChat which came first as successful platform in messaging by offering voice and text messaging along with ability to purchase good and pay for various services. WeChat also allows a number of services to run on the top of the messaging app which makes it easier for the customers, clients and other businesses to interact with each other.

Messenger as a platform is soon to rise to the challenge

Facebook’s decision of allowing people to order an Uber cab via its Messenger opens up the idea of utilizing it as a platform on larger level. But competition will reach out to Facebook soon as other Silicon Valley companies are gearing up to allow running of more services on top of the messaging app. There is one distinct advantage which Facebook has over Chinese rivals that is Chinese platforms are mostly resting to China only which gives Facebook a whole world to try push its Messenger as a platform.