Apple Vision Pro, Mobile 3D Modeling, and Amazon's Palm Scanning Technology

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Apple Vision Pro

I'm sure you've already heard about the big announcement from Apple regarding their AR/VR headset called 'Apple Vision Pro'. If not, you can check out the official video of this exciting new gadget below:

It’s a must-see if you haven’t watched this video yet.

Turn 2D video clips into detailed 3D structures with your mobile

NVIDIA Research has developed a new AI model called Neuralangelo, which uses neural networks to create 3D structures from 2D video clips. It can transform ordinary videos into realistic virtual replicas of buildings, sculptures, and other real-world objects.

This high level of fidelity makes it easier for developers and creative professionals to quickly create virtual objects for their projects using videos captured by smartphones.

They can then import these objects into design applications and further customize them for use in art, video game development, robotics, and creating digital twins for industrial purposes. Here is a demo video:

This development makes 3D modeling fast and inexpensive. Will it replace 3D modelers? or will it enhance their productivity? Will another job be lost to AI?

Here is a related article I read in The Washington Post: "ChatGPT took their jobs. Now they walk dogs and fix air conditioners."

I would love to hear your thoughts on AI and the future of jobs, and include them in the next newsletter issue. Just hit "Reply"!

Amazon's Palm Scanning Technology: Convenient Payments and Enhanced Privacy for Consumers

A few months ago, Amazon made an interesting announcement. They shared that they had given permission for their palm-scanning system, called Amazon One, to be used by Panera Bread, a popular fast-casual restaurant. This was the first time Amazon had allowed another business to use this technology.

Let me tell you more about Amazon One. It's a special kind of technology that uses your palm print to identify you. It connects your palm print to your Amazon account, credit card, and mobile phone number. With this system, you can walk into a store and make purchases simply by scanning your palm.

Amazon has been using this technology in their own Amazon Go stores, some Whole Foods locations, and now in Panera Bread restaurants. But that's not all. Amazon has recently announced that they're expanding the use of palm-scanning for something new—age verification. This means that you'll be able to buy alcohol by just scanning your palm, without needing to show your ID anymore.

The first place where you can experience this new feature is Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. That's the baseball stadium for the Colorado Rockies team. So, if you're at a game, you can now get a beer by scanning your palm. It's a convenient and quick way to enjoy your favorite beverage. Take a look at how it works:

Here's the compact palm scanner sitting on the counter of a beer vendor. When someone scans their palm, the scanner displays a green check mark if they are 21 years or older. But that's not all it does. The device also shows a picture of the person to the vendor behind the counter, adding an extra layer of verification to make sure the person scanning their palm is the actual owner of the Amazon account.

This may seem like a small thing, but it's actually a fantastic application. First of all, it's super convenient for consumers, especially those buying a beer at a baseball game. Fans can simply scan their palm, get their beer, and head back to their seats. No more hassle of showing ID or swiping credit cards. This speeds up the transaction, which is great for busy businesses like stadiums.

There's also a privacy protection aspect to consider. When we show a physical ID, the person checking it can see a lot of personal information like our full name, birthday, address, and driver's license number. That's highly sensitive data that could be misused by malicious individuals for stalking or identity theft.

With the Amazon One palm scanner, vendors don't see any of that data. They only see a green or red check mark and the picture of the account holder. Nothing more. This ensures our privacy and gives us peace of mind.

Because of these reasons, I believe we'll see these palm scanning systems adopted quickly. Eventually, most bars and nightclubs will use this technology to protect their customers. It just makes too much sense.

Of course, we need to trust that Amazon will handle our sensitive data properly. If Amazon fails to protect our data and it falls into the hands of hackers, it would undermine the whole purpose of shielding our data from the vendors we interact with.

Thankfully, Amazon has a decent track record in this regard. They aren't like Google and Facebook, who often prioritize selling our private data to the highest bidder. However, we must remain vigilant and ensure that Amazon continues to be a responsible custodian of our information.

Regardless, this palm scanning technology represents the future of payments. I'm confident that we'll be seeing more and more of these devices at various vendors in the months to come.

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