DEV Community: PixelPlex

A New Kind of Ecosystem: Using the Internet of Things to Monitor Forests

PixelPlex — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 08:37:54 +0000

In a world where atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have risen by over 12% in the last two decades, it is becoming increasingly important to find solutions that may mitigate the climate crisis. Though answers to this problem are multi-faceted, one part of the solution surrounds forest systems and the ecosystem services that we receive from them. Aside from the aesthetic and economic benefits they provide, forests also act as a major carbon sink in the global terrestrial carbon cycle. In fact, it has been found that global forests between the time of 1990 and 2007 absorbed about one-third of fossil fuel emissions annually, which amounts to about 8.8 billion tons of carbon dioxide drawn down by forests across the world each year.
However, forests are increasingly threatened by global environmental change, whether it be due to a rise in average global temperatures, a growth in the frequency of forest fires, an increase in the range distribution of pests and insects, or human activity such as illegal logging efforts. Regardless of the threats and disturbances that forests face both now and in the future, it is clear that their roles in the global environment are critical in the mitigation of climate change, and that more work needs to be done to maintain, protect, and study forests in a rapidly changing environment. One such way that we can do so is by “digitizing” forest systems with technologies based on the Internet of Things.

What is the Internet of Things (IoT)?

The Internet of Things connects objects that are equipped with sensors and data-collecting devices (essentially a “smart” object) with networks to allow for communication between devices and enable the transfer and exchange of a consistent stream of data and information. It is currently increasingly used in newer technologies and sectors such as smart home security systems, transportation, automated farming, or precision agriculture (Kim et al. 2020). Due to its interconnected nature and increasing reliance on wireless networks, IoT can be especially useful when used for analyzing big data and computing or storing resources in the cloud.

Monitoring forests: challenges and solutions

The implementation of IoT into environmental monitoring practices in forest systems will be a crucial step in improving our understanding of how such systems will respond to environmental disturbances, which in turn can inform our decisions on managing forests to ensure that they remain both protected and a viable part of the solution to climate change. There are currently several roadblocks that we must cross in order to
successfully study and monitor our global forests in the future, and many of these challenges can be overcome by using the Internet of Things. In this article, such challenges will be discussed, as well as how IoT technology can be applied to them in the future.

Field work can be time-consuming

Much of forest monitoring is conducted as field research. While field campaigns on the grounds of forests themselves are extremely necessary to improving our understanding of vegetation responses on a local level, field research itself is very time consuming and labor intensive. Time spent in the field can be physically demanding, and due the necessity of conducting research over a large temporal scale for understanding response mechanisms, field campaigns can take a long time to complete as well. Using IoT-based monitoring methods in forest management would take considerably less time than conducting the multi-season and multi-year field campaigns that are often necessary for understanding long term forest system dynamics. The installation of the sensors and measurement systems in a study forest, whether they be sap flow sensors in trees, soil moisture sensors in the ground, or turbidity sensors in streams, is largely the extent of manual labor needed for the collection, exchange, and evaluation of data in a digitized forest that relies largely on the IoT for data collection and communication. Thus, IoT can save time when studying forests and forest dynamics while still maintaining a steady flow of accurate data over time.

The issue of scale

Another issue in monitoring forests and the field work that is conducted to do so is that only small areas can be studied at once. Forests cover about 30% of the Earth’s surface (NASA). Even if we were to group this land into categories based on similarities so that data and trends can be generalized, the amount of work to be done to completely understand ecosystem processes at the full extent is too great. Thus, the issue of scale and scaling measurements and trends up for application to larger areas is one of the challenges that we face when monitoring forests. However, we can combine technology based on the IoT with field techniques to create a more complete and holistic understanding of forest functions during a particular time period. For example, remote sensing is a relatively novel geospatial information technology that is used to collect imagery data through the use of satellites and satellite communication. Some technologies include LiDAR and NDVI, which can both provide accurate, larger-scale data on forest systems over time. While LiDAR relies on the reflection of light to determine distance between the sensor and an object, NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) is especially useful in monitoring forests in that it measures the amount of water in canopies, thus making it an indicator of plant health. Data collected by these sensors are sent to remote servers for further investigation and analysis, and can ultimately be coupled with plant-level measurements taken in the field to form a more integrated understanding of ecosystem-level processes that may be governing forest response to disturbances.

We need more real-time data

With a lack of real-time data collected in forests, it is difficult to detect, monitor, and respond to disturbances when they happen. Our response to disturbance is only as fast as we are at detecting the disturbance itself, as we often discover forest fires, pest outbreaks, and pathogenic decimation of forests long after it is too late to respond to them. The consistent and real-time stream of data provided by IoT monitoring technologies will be crucial for closing this gap between detection and response. For example, temperature, humidity, and infrared radiation monitors can be installed in vulnerable forests to detect the presence of fires, and sound monitors can be installed to detect sounds related to illegal logging activity. Similarly, the same sound monitors can be used to detect the seasonal hatching and emergence of the first population of crickets, which can be invasive in some locations. In each of these cases, IoT and its real-time data collection may prove to be useful in decision making on whether or not intervention in response to these disturbances is necessary, and whether or not such disturbances will change in the future. Such data is also essential for pure science and furthering our understanding of how forests work, especially under a changing climate.

Fieldwork is still important!

It is, however, important to note the cruciality of field work in the management of forests. Relying on the IoT does not mean terminating all field campaigns. The work done through the IoT is meant to work in tandem to that of field researchers - meaning raw and unfiltered data from the IoT should be coupled with finer-grain data collected on the ground. Many plant measurements critical to understanding organismal response to disturbance are currently impossible to take without being in the field. For example, measuring photosynthetic assimilation rates in leaves throughout a tree canopy or examining the unseen but absolutely necessary relationships between trees and underground fungal networks are important to study but cannot be done so with the IoT alone. Instead, we can pair our photosynthesis data collected on the ground with remote sensing techniques that measure canopy greenness to see how the two measurements might relate to one another. Similarly, field data on the abundance and distribution of fungal networks and their associations with trees can be analyzed in conjunction with data from soil moisture monitors to better understand how changing water availability might affect these symbiotic relationships and thus the overall health of the forest.

Conclusion

With the growing threat posed by climate change, it is increasingly important that we continue to study and protect our global forests due to their ability to sequester carbon and play a role in mitigating climate change. The Internet of Things is a novel approach to doing so, as it allows us to collect real-time data on changes that forests experience under disturbance. Basing management practices off of IoT-based methods is also time-efficient, and can also allow us to create a more integrated picture of our global forests when its data is analyzed in conjunction with local-scale data. Though we cannot put a full stop to climate change, investing in the development and integration of IoT technologies in forest monitoring and management might just uncover the missing piece of the puzzle to understanding how we can try to mitigate it.

VR in Ecology

PixelPlex — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 07:59:27 +0000

One of the most important aspects of ecology is population sampling. It is expensive, labor intensive, and the methods used often lead to counts not accurate to the actual population makeup and size due to the variable distributions within the populations. By incorporating new technologies such as virtual reality into how ecologists approach sampling, these problems can begin to be addressed, leading ultimately to better management of our ecosystems. To explore the applications of virtual reality in ecosystem management and population sampling, current and possible future methods of data collection in oceanic research will be discussed and compared.

Virtual reality uses computers to create a simulated environment for the user to explore. While the most recognizable form of virtual reality is seen in virtual reality headsets, virtual reality also includes non-immersive experiences seen in video games. There is a wide variety in how users can interact with virtual reality. These include using a mouse and computer, a controller, hand trackers, and headsets. This wide range allows for greater accessibility for users with various levels of access to technology. Both semi-immersive and non-immersive virtual reality have the potential to be used in ecology and conservation.

Current uses for virtual reality in ecology and conservation were explored in the article “Connecting virtual reality and ecology: a new tool to run seamless immersive experiments in R” by Vercelloni et al. One application was to allow users to explore several locations and have the user answer in-game questions to gather data. Questions included things such as reporting which habitat features are in sight or if a specific animal or plant is within view. As of 2021, the technology used in the article only had the ability to utilize static 360º images for this research.

Ecologists use population sampling to estimate the size of a population. Due lack of resources, funding, time, and labor, it is impossible to count each individual in a given population. Instead, tactics such as Point Centered Quarter method, Line-intercept method, and many others are used to get a general idea of the entire population. For motile organisms, trapping is often the easiest method. It is important to have an understanding of population compositions in ecosystems to monitor health over time, especially as anthropogenic pollution rapidly changes ecosystems. The more accurate the population count, the better we can respond to the need of the ecosystem.

Sampling populations in coastal or deep ocean areas can lead to expensive expeditions. Current methods include sending out either manned or unmanned submarines or divers with cameras. In regards to cameras used, prices range from $800 for a smaller model such as the Paralenz Vaquita Underwater camera to well into the $2,000 range with larger, more professional cameras. Many diving expeditions rely on citizen scientists who are unpaid in their efforts, though NOAA pays employees that are certified divers an extra $240 in their monthly pay. In an estimate of costs associated with sending out 637-class manned submarines for one year of service, the low estimate is $30,285,714 and the high estimate is $44,142,857 (Chapter 4: Estimated Costs of a Science Submarine). Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s submarine Alvin costs $45,000 for a 10-hour manned expedition. Comparatively, current projects involving unmanned submarines can be quite expensive as well, but in the case of the SRV-8 (which costs around $30,000), can be operated by one person and captures video. The video captured can then be downloaded onto a computer and put into a format that can be used in a virtual reality experience.

Some work is able to be completed by citizens who volunteer their time to do research. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, citizen science is a concept where communities work together to ask questions, collect data, interpret results and come up with applications for technologies. Not only does citizen science help scientists across the world with data collection and interpretation, it fosters community engagement with each other and science.

One example of citizen science is the internet game Phylo. Phylo is a game that has turned genetic coding into a colorful puzzle. Data from genomes is run through an algorithm and uses players to refine what the algorithm has missed. Phylo allows ordinary citizens to help research on genetic diseases by utilizing human’s natural ability to recognise patterns.

By turning population sampling into a game a similar idea to the game Phylo could be utilized to cut down costs and increase accuracy when measuring populations in oceanic communities. Because the players would be using the same footage but counting different individuals, we can get a better understanding of the potential actual population size and makeup. Getting a truly representative sample of populations is difficult because of the various distributions organisms can exist in. Different distributions require different sampling methods. One way to make a game out of data collection would be to have an algorithm process the raw footage and break the organisms into simple shapes, similar to Phylo, and allow players to sort the shapes. Another way would be to have players perform a “gamified” version of sampling methods typically performed in the field. For example, a whale carcass on the seafloor is filmed to get a sample of the species around this area. The user could play a game that allows them to identify the various species and the quantity of each. Rewards such as in-game achievement points could be given.

Though virtual reality has the potential to help cut costs on necessary management strategies, there are several issues as well. Converting data and video into a virtual reality game experience is not something that every ecologist is equipped to perform. As such, a team of trained individuals would need to be hired to keep the game’s website updated as well as making the actual game and obtaining the data gathered from the players. It is also important to consider that technology might not be at the level to quickly and cost effectively aid ecologists in this query. Field observations may end up being the best option when considering the initial cost of starting up a VR game and the extra staff required.

As humans continue to cause the natural world to change in both predictable and unpredictable ways, it is important to utilize the technology available to help us better understand the ways in which our lives impact the Earth. The data we collect will impact how we adjust our management practices to fit the needs of the ecosystems around us. Engaging communities in important research is something should be incorporated more, as it will increase the support of the public towards funding research for various areas. By making games that allow for easy access to aiding the scientific community, citizen scientists can be a part of helping ecologists. Virtual reality should be adapted to help in this endeavor. VR is becoming more widely available and easier to transfer video into a VR experience, and would bring a spark of excitement into participating in citizen science. It would also decrease the cost of population sampling long-term, especially when compared to manned missions by either a diver with a camera or a submarine in ocean management practices.

Metaverse

PixelPlex — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 14:02:27 +0000

Picture this. The year is 2030. You’ve finally embarked on your life-long dream of starting your own business, and you’ve decided to hire a business analyst to mitigate the risks and provide you with a roadmap for success. Or at least, if not a roadmap, some descriptions, prescriptions, and predictions concerning all of the data out there that could potentially be of some relation to your business. Now, instead of that analyst utilizing that data and sharing their insights in the form of a mildly life-sucking, overwhelming powerpoint, they whip out their device and virtually display a metaverse depicting the projected future of your business given historical data, data forecasts, trends, competitor performance, consumer behavior, the variables working for your business, the variables working against your business, the economy, demand, and supply. They then give this metaverse to you, to be automatically updated as their data sources update and your own resources update. You’re left feeling like Superman, as one of the few small business owners starting your ventures based on data, not trial-and-error. Why? Because you can actually understand the insights and why your analyst is prescribing the course of action that they are. You’ve got the “whole world” in your hands, and an ever-changing one at that.

With the implementation of metaverses, the entire industry of business analytics will be revitalized. Nowadays, too many small business owners enter their ventures blindly under the premise that a business analyst should be hired only after their business has some transactional data of their own (which isn’t true!). And even when said business owners hire these analysts, they often struggle to understand newfound insights, how to implement them, and how their analyst reached certain conclusions. They waste a lot of time simply trying to grasp the applications of their current data just to almost immediately be met with new variables and external changes. As a business analyst and small business owner myself, I’ve found myself on both ends of the equation and somehow still left feeling lost at times. As a business analyst, it
can be a real challenge to “crunch the numbers” and share the findings in an easily understandable, visually appealing manner that a non-technical person would experience relief in looking at. As a small business owner, it can be a real challenge to understand how to go forward with the data available, whether taken from internal or external sources, at literally any point in the business’s life span. Metaverses will alleviate those issues on both sides. They’re interactive, visual, and ever-changing means of displaying data. They’ll allow business owners to view the performance of their data in a virtual world nearly identical to their business’ scope in the real world. Outside of individual metaverses crafted from code and data that a hired business analyst found to be relevant to a company, businesses, most notably small businesses, will also be able to position themselves in the massive metaverse known as Meta (formerly known as Facebook). With these implementations, business analysts will be able to analyze actual consumer reactions/behavior with the business– not just predictions and current behavior with competing businesses.

According to a report in March 2020, “67% of small businesses are spending more than $10K a year on analytics. 75% also say they are spending at least 132 hours every year on maintenance and systems.” And yet, with all that being said, “86.2% of the respondents say managers/execs can make better use of the solution.” Companies are spending excessively on data analytics tools, but it seems to be the general consensus that they are not getting the full bang for their buck. The prevailing issue? The complexity of the solutions they have in place. Brian Kirsch, Senior Vice President of Sales at Onepath, explained the problem: “The issue is that the tools can be hard to set up, overly complicated, and a pain to maintain.” Enter the metaverse. The metaverse is a hybrid of virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality that blurs the barriers between online and offline relationships. In the near future, it will become a place where people can work, shop, play, and engage. A number of brands, including big names like Adidas, have already entered the metaverse. Innovation is the name of the game here.
However, according to an article published by Analytics Insight in March 2022, various organizations currently lack methods to optimize their big data analytics capabilities, restricting their ability to really comprehend the data they have about their company or their clientele. The metaverse will undoubtedly continue to expand and innovate at a breakneck pace, making it borderline unattainable for ill-prepared businesses to keep up. In big data analytics, Metaverse will provide teams with a cloud data platform that can collect and analyze internal and third-party data with a single point of access. Naturally, consolidating the access point will drastically down on the time it takes to find insights. Ideally, this model will be able to handle all kinds of data, whether structured, unstructured, or semi-structured, as well as separate information stores, gather new insights from the metaverse, and aid in forecasting future outcomes.

With the rapid rate that data is being produced—projected to reach 160 zettabytes by 2025— businesses have their work cut out for them. The metaverse paves the way for these companies to work smarter, not harder. As bits of data continue to power and generate this new hybrid physical and virtual reality, a "dataverse," as Harnham puts it, will grow alongside the metaverse. This dataverse will consist of each person's individual universe of unique data that will allow their virtual reality to work. It’ll be like the website cookies of today on steroids. As companies are given access to this data, business analysts will be able to identify target audiences and predict consumer behavior with a level of accuracy currently unheard of.

Metaverses truly have massive potential to take the guesswork out of business operations for both business analysts and business owners. The Internet Age is evolving into the Metaverse Age, and it’s imperative that businesses and analysts are up-to-date so as to not get left behind. Data continues to be the most sure-fire means of creating plans, predictions, and prescriptions, but it is currently too often mishandled, misinterpreted, and ultimately limited by outside parties regarding its full potential.

With data being as powerful as it is, there are still too many businesses relying on trial-and-error even after hiring a business analyst. It’s time for analysts to adopt the metaverse as a medium for "data-splaining." In the years to come, given the metaverse continues to evolve as projected, then a source more data-driven, all-consuming, and insightful than the metaverse will simply not exist. Tapping into the power of the metaverse will be what it takes for organizations to comprehend the data they have on their company and clients. It’ll be what it takes for teams to fully utilize cloud-based data platforms with a single point of access. It’ll allow analysts to more accurately predict, visualize, and prescribe a business's journey. No longer will “experience be the best teacher”. The metaverse will serve as a source for confident decision making. Between assuring and immersing, everyone should want to tap into metaversing.

Synthetic Vision and AR/VR in Unmanned Aerial Systems and Aviation

PixelPlex — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 08:06:39 +0000

In the emerging world of unmanned aerial systems (UAS; often called drones), there exists a wide slew of technologies that can be developed into system operations. Among these is the use of augmented reality and virtual reality. In aviation, there are not many uses of augmented systems that seek to replicate life besides what has been seen in avionics. Moving to UAS, there are subset industries dedicated to first-person-view (FPV) technologies, and the meshing of avionics with headset technology may curate a better remote pilot environment. In this paper, we will compare and contrast the technologies between manned aircraft/UAS and cover the problems associated with each.

Starting with manned aircraft, there are not any current uses of headset technologies. The extent of technology lies with dynamic screens such as the Garmin 1000 unit, which features terrain, next generation weather radar (NEXRAD), and other aircraft in 2D space via traffic alert and collision avoidance systems (TCAS). These systems aid pilots of all types in navigation through the national airspace system (NAS) and offer alternative ways of looking at continually updating data. The problem with these already advanced avionics systems is that it requires a lot of looking up and down. As a pilot is landing in visual flight rules (VFR), they must monitor what is outside the window and the instruments simultaneously.

The situation described above has been adequately solved by the addition of heads-up-displays (HUD) which aims to blend avionics into a typical pull-down tray. When necessary, the pilot can pull down the HUD (much like a car sun visor) to view important data such as airspeed, altitude, vertical speed, attitude indicator, turn coordinator, and more. While these systems solve the problem, they are expensive and rare to find except on newer Boeing 747 and 787s (other models too). The cost and effectiveness of these features are not necessary when a pilot can move their head up and down.

The final area within manned aircraft is the use of navigation systems, again with landing operations. One specific array of technologies comprises the enhanced flight vision system (EFVS). EFVS is used for little to zero visibility conditions such as for a special CAT III ILS landing. This system can be seen through a HUD if equipped or may have its own digital display alongside the avionics. EFVS creates a synthetic image by way of a high-powered camera, a large collection of real-life positional data (photogrammetry), infrared, radar, and visual references. The data are blended to create a (typically) green image of what the pilot would see if there were no visibility constraints. Again, a problem comes about from costs, research and design limitations, and the required special training in the system’s usage.

With these ideas in mind, there is a considerable amount of overlap that can be seen in the world of UAS. The main and current usage of headsets in UAS operations is for FPV operations. An RGB camera is affixed to the aircraft and is video linked to a headset with a screen. The pilot is limited in these systems by video quality (usually no higher than 1080p), video range (varies by quality of equipment), aircraft range (Federal Aviation Administration requirements and physical range), and costs. The cost of these systems can be as little as $100 or up in the $1000s depending on the quality the pilot wants. These systems show what the camera sees, but there are no additional sets of data that are seen with our manned aircraft.

Flight controller systems and GUI-based software such as PixHawk flight controllers with ArduPilot Mission Planner, when linked, creates mostly precise positioning data on a monitor. Typically, a laptop or an established ground control station is where the pilot will see this critical data to flight but not within inches of their face. This arises from two main factors, regulation, and operations.

The first is the regulatory requirements of commercial UAS in the United States. Recreational pilots fly for fun (not money) and are supposed to use visual observers (VO) when flying under FPV. Commercial remote pilots fly for value (monetary, trade, etc.) and are encouraged to utilize VO(s). This is further broken down into visual-line-of-sight (VLOS) and beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS). VLOS, as the acronym suggests, uses the visual range of the remote pilot’s eyes with the conditions presented in their geographical environment (weather, time of day, etc.). The standard average sight of aircraft in visual conditions is seven miles (statute) and cannot be aided by the use of binoculars or other devices. Much like recreational FPV flight, a VO is required and is limited to VO sight if headsets are used. Moving beyond this is BVLOS, which does not require VO depending on operations. The maximum potential of headsets would be found under commercial BVLOS operations as few restrictions exist.

Without considering weather conditions, it would be a fair statement to say that satellite-based systems would have highly effective use of control with headsets. Large, open operations would be more ideal and this is where the second factor of operations comes in. Inspections, surveying, and typical monitoring aircraft (such as routine flight paths) would not be well suited for these flight conditions involving a headset. Instead, unplanned flights such as search and rescue (SAR), law enforcement, and other reconnaissance would do well. The remote pilot would be aided by sensor equipment’s perspective in a variety of conditions. While it could do well, the merging of the technologies and systems previously described has not been carried out.

Special sensors may be found on UAS, which may alter the view of the pilot. The best systems would involve RGB cameras, infrared or thermal cameras, and light detection and range (LiDAR). These systems can create a reference image to be easily understood by humans which would not limit flight. Some current UAS systems can employ audible systems which annunciate flight parameters in flight (update of battery life, altitude, etc. every few seconds). Designating similar glass avionic systems into headset displays limits the need for extra systems by blending the systems. Night operations with UAS can be tricky with other regulatory requirements and limited reference points. The special sensors listed above can be altered to create a more fitting view for the remote pilot. If pre-planned operations are conducted beforehand, caching flight data through orthomosaics, photogrammetry, and other point maps can generate a quick EFVS that acts as both a real-life and current condition mapping.

The human factors and physiological effects of headsets and the surrounding technologies of AR and VR are interesting subjects and could also be explored for flight. These considerations could include spatial orientation, nighttime effects (autokinesis, flicker vertigo, false horizons, etc.), the human body and its reaction, and more. Other considerations could be made to increase industry standards and requirements, more from a society standard than from the FAA. Finally, increasing NextGen (future aviation safety, efficiency, and capacity) roadmaps could help with research and development (R&D) of crucial systems to UAS and their operations, possibly including headset technologies for flights.

To conclude, there are vast componential systems that occur within manned aircraft and UAS operations. The AR/VR systems could be further optimized with the combination of available resources to create optimized flights for commercial BVLOS operations. Finally, other considerations that would need to be further explored include health, industry standardization, further R&D, and reigning in the price to fit better into operations.

The Application of The Metaverse in the Commercial Shopping Industry

PixelPlex — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 13:55:23 +0000

On April 4th, 2020, Youtuber ahmad faizar uploaded “Drive Through Supermarket Concept 1” to mixed, if not poor reviews, with many comments commenting on the hazards of such an idea, as well as the cost of building and maintaining an idea like this. Naturally, it flopped, but it was the catalyst for other ideas, such as online grocery shopping, which also became popular around this time, given the pandemic that had started just months earlier. Anyways, in 2017, Walmart released a metaverse shopping demo to mostly negative reception, with most claiming that it took too long, and was simply just creepy, given the Walmart employee always staring at you. There is an idea to better improve the metaverse shopping experience, by both simplifying it, making it more accessible, and managing expectations, those being that people will still want to shop at a physical store.

Anyways, the first objective when creating a user-friendly application should be ease of access and simplification. This is especially important in an environment akin to the metaverse, which is still fairly new to the general public. For example, the current user interface for the shopping demo is clunky, slow, and eerie, given that you have to traverse an entire Walmart to search for goods, then pick up the items with the “hands” given to you, and then place it in the cart, all to have to go to the checkout counter and pay for your items, and only after entering your card information, you may be allowed to exit the store. This is by definition, clunky, even without the drawn-out explanation I’ve just given. My proposed idea to simplify this would be a large catalog-style page for not just Walmart, but all shopping industries that take advantage of the metaverse’s technology. For example, there exists a program titled Virtual Desktop which allows users to view their computer screen, but on a large scale in their virtual reality headset, and given the ease of most retail shopping center’s online pages, It seems incredibly easy to select a store from say, a district within the metaverse enter, select your items from separate lists and indexes, pay, and either have them delivered for a small tip or drive there yourself and pick up your items. Walmart already has dedicated pick-up zones for online shoppers, so they would definitely have it the easiest. Not only that, but it could help put more jobs out there, with people in charge of keeping the program up and running, and given the inevitable income that this will bring in, it can also provide sustainable and high salaries for those now working in the metaverse division. But what about mom and pop shops? Those are a rapidly dying market ever since the internet popped up, and retail chains took them over one by one, which is, admittedly, pretty dystopian, but there's still hope, because many of these shops have their own websites already, so it shouldn’t be that big of a leap to transfer this technology into a digital storefront within the metaverse, and keeping the simplified nature of the original, retail idea, consistent, that should make it all the better for the customer, without bad UI, or creepy visuals.

The next problem facing the metaverse in terms of online shopping is accessibility. For example, the average cost for a virtual reality headset is around $350, and many people just can't scrape together that sort of money. Now, of course, as these headsets become more and more ingrained in our society, the prices will drop, that’s what happened with cars, the model T was around $24,000 in 2022 dollars, and nowadays, you can find a good used one for between $1-$2k, which is amazing, really, and shows the possibilities of advancing technology. The whole thing about cost for a headset and such reminds me of what Bill Gates was talking about when he mentioned that he wanted a computer on every desk, and he saw that not even 50 years later, meaning that widely accessible headsets and metaverse experiences aren’t that far off for the average consumer. Another factor to consider is people who want a shopping experience similar to normal, but can’t leave the house for either mental health reasons, they need to care for someone, or they physically can't leave the house under a medical health condition, like a disease. This will offer a similar program to those in that situation, especially after more and more homes have a virtual reality headset in them.

The final issue surrounding this whole metaverse online shopping experience is the management of expectations. We’ve all seen companies go too big too fast and have nowhere to go. Say that Walmart, Target, or any other large corporation invests too much into something that may not be the future that we had all hoped it would be. For example, a metaverse shopping experience. Who knows? Maybe the public will grow tired of it eventually and want to go back to shopping in real life, so, business will have to be ready to not go under if the idea of metaverses falls through. A good plan for this could be to have a separate division. Perhaps a small offchute from the store, labeled “metaverse department” with its own team of people well-versed in it as well as its various facets. For example, Walmart already employs over 2 million employees, so, odds are, an amount of them are already well-versed in the metaverse, and can even train new employees in it with their previous knowledge. This program and possible expansion can add more people, because of course such a large program will need a large group of people, especially in such a new market.

Of course, it can be left up to CEOs and executives as to how this will play out in the real shopping world, but I can see a bright future here.

In conclusion, the idea of introducing the metaverse into the commercial shopping industry, namely larger brands at first, Walmart, Target, Costco, and such, and if it yields good reception, then more and more businesses can enter for themselves, while also still keeping up to date with the wants and needs of current consumers, those wants and needs being shopping in a physical store especially if metaverses, in general, went under. Of course, in order to optimize the experience to make it more enjoyable for the consumer, we would need simplification, as previously mentioned, because clearly Walmart did a pretty bad job at that already. Overall, it’s fairly straightforward to implement, and wouldn’t be that drastic of a change from normal online shopping, and it would improve people’s shopping experience, and achieve higher ratings from consumers.

How The Internet of Things Can Lead To Success In The Sports Industry

PixelPlex — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 08:35:27 +0000

The Internet of Things universe, more commonly referred to as IoT, is a system of interrelated computing devices that are equipped with unique identifiers. These unique identifiers contain the ability to transfer data over a shared network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer contact. IoT consists of web-enabled devices with built in systems that not only collect but also share and react to received data from other IoTs that are in the same network. The use of this technology is often presented within industries such as medical assistance and the car industry. Some examples of the IoTs within those industries are items such as heart monitors, check engine lights or even a tire pressure gauge. One industry we don’t see common use of IoTs it would be our college level and professional level athletic training and sports industry. The use of IoTs in the higher level athletic training and sports industry can further athletic performance by targeting ongoing issues such as sports doping, athletic injury, and early retirement.

One issue that is commonly seen in higher level athletics is the act of sports doping and the issues that come along side it. Sports doping is the act of taking illegal or over the counter medications with the intent of bettering athletic performance. Drugs that are used when sports doping fall under numerous categories such as:

Illegal drugs.
Illicit drugs (drugs found in legal medications that can be used in the wrong way).
Legal drugs (drugs that are banned by sporting organizations due to the enhancing features they offer such as insulin, asthma medications, and pseudoephedrine).

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has banned almost 200 substances that fall in the categories listed due to the drug giving an unfair advantage when placed against other athletes or due to the numerous amount of health risks that the drug presents. Health risks from the drugs used for sports doping have a range of severity, some of which being:

Acne
High blood pressure
Kidney failure
Reduced sperm production
Heart failure
Blood clots
Anemia
Reduced circulation

According to a survey conducted by the World Anti-Doping Agency, an estimated 38% of athletes used an over the counter substance listed in the prior 12 months before a tournament. Although 38% does seem to be a low presenting number, this survey did not take into consideration illicit or illegal drugs that athletes had taken within that time frame. With that put into perspective, it is likely that the percentage nearly doubles. Athletes are actively putting their bodies into dangerous situations in order to gain an advantage at their sport of choice, but what is a solution that could keep athletes under a closer and safer eye?

IoTs could be the answer that coaches and sports organizations are searching for. A properly developed IoT could be programmed to not only detect the use of drugs for sports doping, but it could also be able to identify the kind of drug, the dosage consumed, and when the drug was consumed. The development of this technology would be more accurate than a standard drug test because it would be able to thoroughly scan the athlete’s consumption and effects from the drug itself.

Another issue that the sports industry is facing is the increasing number of athletes that are becoming injured. On average about 90% of college athletes face injury within their first years of playing at a higher level in their sport. 67% of those injuries are considered as a “major injury”. A major injury is “any injury that could potentially lead to death, prolonged disability or permanently diminished quality of life.”. Another 50% of college athlete injuries develop into a chronic injury. “A chronic injury is the result of prolonged, repetitive motion that is particularly common in endurance sports such as swimming, running and cycling.”

As if athletes becoming injured while participating in their sports wasn’t already a reoccurring issue, many athletes are forced to dismiss their injuries and continue to train in order to stay competitive in their sports. An estimated 54% of athletes continue to play on their injuries before seeking medical care. This then enables the injury to progressively get worse until it can become career, or in some cases life, threatening. College athletes can spend up to six days a week training around five to six hours a day. That could total to thirty hours of training on an injury that hasn’t been properly cared for just within the first week since the injury occurred. Athletic injuries are inevitable, but with the help of IoTs, there is room for growth on how athletes handle them and how serious the injury becomes.

With the same technology that is used within IoTs such as heart monitors, we could create an IoT that monitors athlete’s bodys and is triggered when an injury occurs. This technology would be able to remain dormant until the signal that an injury occurred. This signal would be produced from chemicals that the brain makes in response to pain. Once the IoT receives the signal that there is an injury, it could then monitor the injury and alert the athlete of the proper steps to take in order to heal the injury and return to their sport. This could prevent the athlete from playing on an injury, thus making it worse.

The final issue that is commonly seen within the sports industry, that could be aided by the use of IoTs, is the early retirement rate that athletes face. About 14 to 32% of athletes are forced to retire early due to injury. This is a major issue within the sports industry because the industry is actively losing athletes to compete in sports at a quicker rate than the normal turnover at a nine-to-five workforce. This makes it harder for the industry to continue making money as fans stop coming to games once their favorite athlete retires. Early retirement is also extremely damaging for the athlete as well as the industry. Athletes who retire early often become bankrupt only 10 years into their retirement which forces them to take on another job and put their bodies through more stress. IoTs could help prevent early retirement through the prevention of chronic injuries. If an athlete were to receive the signal at time of injury from the earlier proposed IoT, the athlete would then be able to treat their injury properly. This then reduces the chance of the injury furthering and becoming an issue that could cause early retirement.

Putting in place new technology for IoTs to adapt to in the sports industry could greatly benefit both the industry and athletes long term. IoTs already present themselves in the sports industry on minuscule levels, that we as average citizens do not notice. IoTs are in place currently in the form of:

Smart apparel (smart watches such as fitbits or apple watches)
Smart footwear (technology placed in shoes in order to calculate speed and length of athletic training)
Smart equipment (exercise equipment that notifies the athletes of their athletic abilities)
Facility management (technology in stadiums and gyms that can help climate control and game play)
Fan experiences (most commonly seen within vendors at in person games)

With IoTs already put in place in the world of the sport industry, it is a possibility that IoTs, in order to aid athletes, can be created. This will not only help athletes individually but also the sports training as a whole. Sports doping, athletic injury, and early retirement could all be impacted significantly with the help of an IoT. Our technology today puts the possibility just into reach. It is up to the sports industry to reach out and grab it.

AI in Construction

PixelPlex — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 11:08:12 +0000

The construction industry could really benefit from a further use of artificial intelligence, especially as technology becomes more advanced. Involving AI into the construction process would greatly increase the speed and quality of construction products and structures. AI will begin to be used more by construction companies of all kinds. There are three specific examples of problems builders run into when working construction that could be solved by the use of artificial intelligence. AI’s could assist in tackling the length of time and quality for constructing building plans, the amount of comfortable space and perfect interior or exterior design, and lastly AI’s would help keep construction workers safe and efficient.

First, artificial intelligence could help design buildings at an increased speed and quality. Some large architect firms have already begun using AI for some tasks, but most still do tasks by hand through their employees. This makes the process of planning and qualifications go through several long processes of quality control. All of these certifications and designs could take up to thirty-two weeks, without any ground work actually being done. Any altercations that need to be made will add another week on to the already tight schedule. That’s even more time work isn’t getting done. Often, it is underestimated how much time and effort goes into planning construction projects. If AI becomes implemented properly, it has the potential to steam-line the process. The chance of AI’s making mistakes is slim compared to human error. Imagine if any work an AI did was automatically certified and cleared. Builders could go into the program, set the parameters, and in a short amount of time they would have a certified new set of plans for any building. Aside from being tremendously faster, it would also be much higher quality. The AI would automatically calculate the best possible way to support the structure. It would calculate the best places to place the support beams and load bearing walls. The AI wouldn’t forget to add any minuscule safety detail, which architects and engineers often forget. You can often see on the news, buildings or bridges that had some vital design flaw that made the building unsafe or even deadly. With artificial intelligence at the wheel of design, many of these problems would seemingly disappear overnight as there would be checks and balances automatically. AI could also process the most efficient way to build using the least number of materials and getting the best results. Saving money and time is some of the largest advantages artificial intelligence can bring to the table for designing building plans.

Second, artificial intelligence could help streamline interior and exterior design. Right now, almost all interior and exterior design are done by humans strictly because it’s viewed as a type of art form. Although great art has been created because of the designers, the tool of artificial intelligence could unlock the design artist’s full potential. AI could easily calculate the most ideal use of space. If the architect or interior designer thought about what each space would be allocated for, then the balance of space around the house would be much better distributed. With artificial intelligence, designers could easily maximize the space without being wasteful. The space could be both aesthetically pleasing and flow well from room to room. Oftentimes while visiting people’s homes, they have questions like “Why did the builder do this?” or “Don’t you think this is an odd use of space?” With artificial intelligence, home owners wouldn’t have to worry about the design choices. An AI could also help the home owners themselves decide on which furniture would be best to fill the space. This can also include the process of determining when would be the best time to buy certain furniture or lawn accessories. Home owners could have a well-balanced yard while artificial intelligence can simplify the process and effort. AI design isn’t just limited to homes but could be used to create any type of building. A warehouse could have maximum storage, a call center could maximize the perfect amount of space for each individual office, hospitals every room could be perfectly laid out helping make sure that they are getting the most individual rooms and beds for patients, etc. Any building interior or exterior could be optimized to both make sure all space is used without becoming cluttered. Interior and exterior design is really an art form, and AI could be one of the best tools the designers and homeowners can use to unlock the maximum potential that artists have. Imagination is the limit on both design and ways to use AI in interior and exterior design.

Third, and most importantly, artificial intelligence in construction can be used to significantly reduce the dangers of construction and construction sites. If we use artificial intelligence to help plan the job site itself, ensuring that all tools and equipment are located in a good location, it can help achieve maximum safety. Workers could use the help to find the best place to put all resources or supplies for both ease of access and out of the way if necessary. Along with planning, AI could also have a more direct interaction. If some sort of robot was created with an AI brain, we could be very safe and have construction be efficient. If no one is putting themselves in danger then no real danger is being had. The idea of AI robots may seem like science fiction but it’s becoming closer to reality as technology gets better. These “construction robots”, are according to AEC Business, already utilized within thirty-three construction robotic companies. These companies use AI powered robots to ensure that tasks get finished much faster. Construction companies should use these. Robots don’t need breaks, they don’t tire, or ever need to stop moving except to recharge or repair. Many heavy loads would be easy to move to precise positions with AI powered robots. If workers aren’t trying to push themselves physically to finish projects, there would be less mistakes and less accidents. When workers rush to keep on schedule, that is when injury or death can occur. The use of AI and robots could vastly improve the quality, speed, and safety of construction work.

Artificial intelligence could truly help the construction industry. First, AI could help the process of engineering and architecture. Second, AI would help interior and exterior designers perform their tasks to assist in creating a functional aesthetically pleasing space. Lastly, artificial intelligence could bring safety and more efficiency to construction sites resulting in less injury and loss of life. Artificial intelligence is being used very sparingly in the construction industry. The companies that have started using them have seen much success and progress.

VR in Healthcare

PixelPlex — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 08:59:44 +0000

The COVID-19 pandemic without doubt ushered in the need to find different ways of practicing nursing away from the bedside. Healthcare workers, including nurses, have needed to adapt to the use virtual reality, other simulations, and virtual training to help make a way for nurses, and nursing students, to get the required information and skills to perform well. The COVID pandemic also caused a great deal of stress on nurses, and patients and families, as patient numbers rose. This also highlighted already existing staffing issues and caused many nurses into mandatory overtime. On top of this, the need for social distancing made required hands-on education and training extremely difficult. The use of virtual reality could be a source of relief and answer to some of the challenges nurses are now facing.

Increased patient numbers and extended hospital stays come with many challenges to nurses, with one of them being patient and nurse stress. Fear, anxiety, and even boredom can be a cause of decreased patience and emotional stability. Virtual reality in healthcare could be a source of relief to this problem. By using virtual reality as source of time management and entertainment, it can help prevent patient boredom. Using virtual reality to prevent patient boredom can make a nurse’s job a lot easier. When a patient is in a bed all day with little to occupy their time and mind, it could be argued this could cause an increase in patient agitation and depression. By giving the patient something to focus on that could increase their level of happiness, this could increase their level of patience and could redirect the desire to complain of environmental issues. These complaints, which are hard to address, can make being a nurse difficult. If virtual reality were used to prevent boredom, then it could make for a happier environment for both patients and nurses. Virtual reality can also dampen their mood if they feel they are addicted and are going through withdraw of the device and can also reduce their want to go out interact with other people.

Virtual reality has been used to treat phobia, anxiety disorders, PTSD, disability, and rehabilitation. Having VR devices being accessible to patients can be a good, fun way for them to get help. It is used to help relax people who are high stress, like people with anxiety or agitated.

Training for nursing requires a certain number of clinical hours. It can be difficult to go from classroom to bedside without feeling a little uneasy. Using virtual reality has been known to make 95% of students feel more confident at the bedside. If you walk onto the floor feeling timid and nervous, those feelings, even if contained within, could possibly be interpreted by the patient, making them feel nervous as well. Nurses need to be a consistent presence, even tempered, sympathetic and confident. This not only is beneficial to the nurse but also to the care of the patient. And since patient care and comfort are some of the most important things a nurse can provide, this amplifies the importance of training of nurses who are confident that what they are doing will be good for the patient.

Using virtual reality is a good way to offset the risks that come during training. It can be safer for the patient and nurse-in-training if the initial experience is not on a living patient. While there is great value in working with an actual patient, some of the things learned during training could prove to be dangerous, or even life threatening for the patient. For example, chemical experiments, or nursing procedures, could be practiced virtually before taken into a live setting. This would provide the students the freedom to make mistakes without any repercussions on human life. By using virtual reality as a mode of training, nurses can feel more confident as they carry the things they have learned into live settings. Because of the deeper understanding that could come with the use of VR, it could be assumed there would be a decrease in the stress that can be experienced during hands on scenarios. And there is no doubt that some nurses need to need to experience both to truly understand what they are learning and to give them a deeper understanding and more confidence in their actions.

This doesn’t mean that the use of VR doesn’t come without some potential negatives as well. Some of the cons for virtual reality include reduced face-to-face communications, additional educational costs, and user attitude. Having people who are being educated through virtual reality can limit their ability to develop the necessary communication between the patient and nurse. It can be hard to tell who can and can’t use virtual reality. Not only could it be challenging to nurses, but it can also present some challenges with patient care. According to PubMed Central “VR technology applications in medical education and treatment, especially psychiatric treatments need a comprehensive manual that specifies how, where, and for whom this technology is appropriate. Individual characteristics (gender, age, personality, and history of motion sickness) and other unique psychological, cognitive, physical, and functional characteristics that are common in a variety of clinical conditions are very important and should be considered.” Some patients are sensitive to the strap on their head or are scared to be put into an unknown “world”. It also can be apprehensive for them because of the potential side effects. Some patients may also be nervous to use new technology. If they are not familiar with what is being used it can make them resist the virtual reality.

Virtual reality should only be used if it is prescribed by the correct people. It could pose a risk if it used as a self-diagnosis, self-help, or self-treatment. PubMed Central goes on to say, “VR can cause problems in the cognitive organizations, human experiences, memories, judgments, beliefs, and distinguishing between themselves and the environment.” If the people are not using the devices properly or are not thriving with the treatment, the potential negative impacts could outweigh the positives. Additional side effects of virtual reality according to PubMed Central include Cybersickness and perceptuomotor after-effects. “In fact, the main concern for VR users is simulation sickness, or cybersickness.” And like many other side effects that come with screen or vision based technology, using VR can cause similar side effects of cybersickness. These include nausea, vomiting, eye fatigue, dizziness, and ataxia. It can make people feel as if they are drunk. All the symptoms depend on gender, attitude, or psychological differences which determine if they have symptoms and the severity of the symptoms. Misuse can lead to worsening of the symptoms (nausea, dizziness, etc.) The addiction to the VR can be the same as it is for video games or cellphones. The constant need to be using it.

Virtual reality could prove to be a wonderful asset to the nursing field if used correctly. Having the patients entertained and engaged with something could make for happier patients, which in turn could lead to an increase in job contentment for nurses. The significance of negative feelings on a nurse and their ability to care for patients when sad, angry, or overwhelmed cannot be understated. Nurses are hurting. And there is no doubt this is impacting patients, making it harder for them too. Also having confident nurses will create an environment patients feel more at ease and comfortable with the day-to-day tasks necessary for their care. Providing patients with the best care is arguably the number one priority, and that can begin from the place of having strong, confident, and joyful nurses.

Is Crypto Next?

PixelPlex — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 07:30:17 +0000

Cryptocurrency has altered our perceptions of the global economy and established new limits for our future. Because of its independence and convenience, this digital money has become a popular and viable mode of payment worldwide. However, despite all of the crypto's advantages, it also poses several obstacles due to its newness. Crypto understanding is a topic that most people in our society struggle with, which will hinder the industry's progress. The mining and selling of cryptocurrency necessitate a significant amount of electricity, potentially damaging the environment. It takes a lot of energy, but investors are concerned about the safety of their money in this kind of currency. Hackers and scammers are continuously coming up with new ways to steal money using cryptocurrency, posing a severe threat to the industry's growth. Crypto has a bright future ahead of it, and these challenges must be addressed to gain widespread acceptance.

One of the biggest problems with cryptocurrencies is that it hasn't been widely accepted as a legitimate form of payment in our society. Not only does our government struggle to regulate the usage of cryptocurrencies, but people who have no interest in technology or an economic background will find it challenging to comprehend the currency. "For cryptocurrency to be money, it (bitcoin) would have to be so easy to use it's a no-brainer. It would have to be completely friction-free and understandable by everybody first. So easy that grandma could do it" - Mark Cuban (Veteran Bitcoin Investor).

Bitcoin is a difficult concept to grasp for many individuals since they don't comprehend how markets work in the first place. People have become so accustomed to utilizing fiat currency that they assume it works to obtain goods from others. They have a basic understanding of how currency works, including why it has value, how much there is, how it is made, and whether or not the bank has the money they claim to have. People are perplexed and turned off by bitcoin because it requires a thorough understanding of encryption, technology, economics, and possibly even more. It's challenging to grasp totally, but you don't have to comprehend something to use it and benefit from it. Bitcoin's consumer-facing technology is now rawer than previous technologies, perceiving it more challenging to understand. People don't fully grasp how email, the internet, or the U.S. Dollar work, yet we can use them without knowing how they work.

To fix this issue begins with the government. Recent research found that 80% of the world's central banks were either not allowed to issue digital currency under the existing laws, or their legal frameworks are ambiguous and do not permit them to do so. If the government enables banks to use digital currency, there will be a wider acceptance of it, which will allow the government to regulate it and raise its value. But the beauty of crypto is that it is decentralized and doesn't have a single controlling entity. Governments can influence the price of the cryptocurrency in a variety of ways. First, they can control the price of digital assets by purchasing and selling them on international exchanges. Second, they can enact strict rules, ultimately resulting in a cost increase. Governments could make some modifications to these two methods, but they are unlikely to impact cryptocurrencies. Because cryptocurrencies are purchased and sold worldwide, the regulation would necessitate concerted efforts from several governments. Crypto regulation's goal would be to safeguard investors, prevent fraud, and minimize speculation in crypto assets, which would boost investor trust. When people realize that cryptocurrency is valuable, they will put in the effort to understand it truly.

Bitcoin and other digital currencies are damaging to the environment. Cryptocurrency is decentralized, meaning that no single person or group has authority over it, but instead, all users do. Decentralized blockchains are immutable, meaning that the data input cannot be changed. Cryptocurrency supporters claim that the decentralized structure has several advantages over centralized currency systems because cryptocurrency networks may function without the need for a trusted intermediary such as a central bank. Miners use vast quantities of computational power to operate and maintain the security of a cryptocurrency network in place of any centralized authority. If prices and user acceptance continue to rise, the quantity of energy needed by cryptocurrency mining is likely to increase.

Mining cryptocurrency is a competitive field; as the value of the block reward rises, so do the incentives to begin mining. Higher cryptocurrency values indicate that crypto networks consume more electricity. According to the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index, bitcoin-mining operations worldwide now use energy at nearly a hundred and twenty percent terawatt-hours per year. This is the total annual domestic power usage in Sweden as a whole. According to the Web site Digiconomist, a single bitcoin transaction uses the same amount of power that the average American household consumes in a month and is responsible for roughly a million times more carbon emissions than a single Visa transaction. It is unreasonable to devote Sweden's worth of electricity to a virtual currency when the world desperately needs to reduce carbon emissions. Researchers at the University of Cambridge report that most Bitcoin mining—around 38% in Dec. 2021—took place in the U.S. following China's crypto ban. Digiconomist predicts that the Bitcoin network emits approximately 114 million tons of carbon dioxide per year, which is equal to the amount produced by the Czech Republic, based on the geographical spread of the mining hash rate on data through May 27, 2022. A blockchain's mining should not result in the same carbon emissions as a single country.

There are valid methods that can help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide caused by the mining of cryptocurrency. The proof-of-stake method of authenticating cryptocurrency transactions and minting new coins is a non-computing-intensive alternative to bitcoin mining. Instead, validators are granted authorization to confirm transactions and manage the crypto network depending on the cryptocurrency they have "staked" or promised not to trade or sell. Proof-of-stake is a cryptocurrency consensus mechanism for processing transactions and creating new blocks in a blockchain. A consensus mechanism is a technique for validating and securing entries in a distributed database. In the case of bitcoin, the database is known as a blockchain, and the consensus mechanism ensures the blockchain. This will save electricity, but it will also make cryptocurrencies a safer and more valuable means of payment. Proof of stake is becoming more popular as a consensus technique in the cryptocurrency industry. PoS is being used as the consensus method in around 80 different cryptocurrencies. Cardano (ADA), Tron (TRX), EOS (EOS), Cosmos (ATOM), Tezos (XTC), etc. This will make the industry more efficient, but it will also lower the quantity of energy used, making it more socially acceptable.

Hackers and scammers are constantly devising new ways to steal cryptocurrencies, posing a severe threat to the industry's growth. They can hack investors' cryptocurrency wallets and steal their funds, create counterfeit wallets to defraud counterparties, and create fake crypto exchanges to defraud clients. "The most common telltale sign of an investment scam is an offer of guaranteed high returns with no risk. It is important for investors to understand what they are investing in and with whom they are investing," said Melanie Senter Lubin, NASAA President, and Maryland Securities Commissioner. Cryptocurrency theft grew even more, with roughly $3.2 billion worth of cryptocurrency stolen in 2021, which increased by 516% compared to 2020. Approximately $2.2 billion of those funds, 72% of the 2021 total, were stolen from DeFi protocols. Another issue with theft in the industry is that The classic pump and dump strategy, in which stock owners try to push up the market before dumping off their shares at a pre-determined peak, could be given a new twist with cryptocurrency. This is common in the crypto world, especially during the initial coin offering (ICO) stage or later when false promises can raise demand and allow the cryptocurrency's developers or majority holders to profit.

As the cryptocurrency market expands and evolves at a breakneck pace, so do the methods used by hackers to steal tokens and coins. Investors who are attentive and prepared can take preventative measures to protect their digital assets. Securing a wallet is one of the most acceptable ways to safeguard your investment. Although new designs are constantly being introduced, there are two primary sorts of wallets. Hardware devices are generally the better of the two sorts. Online wallets have non-recoverable private keys, so a password safe is required to maintain your wallet's security. Many online wallets are already in place for cryptocurrency protection, such as Coinbase Wallet, Electrum, Mycelium, Exodus, and Crypto.com. Crypto is growing increasingly aware of these difficulties and is exploring all options for resolving them.

As we know it, the rise of cryptocurrencies represents the future of our current market. Although there are several difficulties with this progress, such as how widely it is accepted, how safe it is for our environment, and linked to online security risks, these issues can be addressed. To address these challenges, we as a community, including our government, must become more open-minded to expanding this sector and educate ourselves to comprehend how it operates appropriately. We should use technologies like "proof of stake" to reduce our carbon emissions when exchanging cryptocurrency. Last but not least, we must ensure that our assets are safeguarded by utilizing online wallets to avoid our funds from being stolen. If we want to use this new kind of digital currency to build a more efficient and productive economy, we must all strive together as one.

The Tourism Sector and Artificial Intelligence

PixelPlex — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 10:12:49 +0000

The tourism sector (also called the travel industry) is a complex, dynamic industry. It is based on people traveling internationally or domestically for leisure, business, or social reasons. It has close ties to the hospitality, transport, and hotel industries. The tourism sector is one of the leading industries worldwide and significantly benefits countries’ economies. The tourists benefit the countries they visit through money spent during their stay and by promoting local businesses. Within the tourism industry, there are many sectors. They include the transportation sector, which encompasses car rental, airline travel, water travel, railway, coach services, and spacecraft travel. The accommodation sector comprises hotels, bed and breakfast, hostels, camping, shared accommodations, and cruises. Other involved industries include food and beverages, entertainment, financial, educational, and travel agencies.

Over the years, the tourism industry has experienced growth. Technological advancements have significantly contributed to the increase. However, the advances in technology are underutilized in tourism. The expansion of the tourism industry has led to the demand for the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to meet customers’ needs. First appearing in 1956, it has made significant advances over the years, and its applications range from chatbots to self-driven vehicles. The applications of AI are used to gain an advantage in the competitive market world. According to a survey, seventy-four percent of customers plan trips online, with forty-five percent using their smartphones. These statistics show the need to invest in AI technology. AI can accommodate a wide variety of information on all the vital components, including infrastructure facilities for tourists, destination tourism, and natural resources. It can exceed human capabilities in providing information on all essential factors in a short time. Therefore, AI can potentially outperform human services. AI applications in the tourism industry are currently underused. There is minimal research on AI’s impact on tourism. More can be done to include AI in the tourism sector as per the suggestions below.

Smart Customer Service

Choosing travel destinations and learning about different places before travel is vital for customers. Travelers need access to information on tourism destinations. The information may include climate, the attractions, the best abodes, safety and security, other people’s experiences and ratings, culture, transport services, and costs. Ninety percent of customers require relevant information on their desired travel destinations. Increased use of chatbots and navigation systems of AI can boost assistance and easy access to information. Customers also want timely feedback and obtaining information. Travelers thus prefer self-service options. Traditional services require customers to make calls or write emails that may incur costs and take longer to receive replies. The information obtained from calls and emails may be limited. The self-service apps aid customers in navigating through information and getting the help they need on a timely basis. The travel industry requires round-the-clock support in assistance provision. AI assistants and chatbots offer these services with added benefits such as improved efficiency in a timely and less costly manner.

Planning

Planning for trips is a hectic experience. It requires the traveler to engage in multiple service industries and tourism sectors. The planner must obtain the information, book transportation, accommodation, vaccines, activities and calendars, meals, visits to museums or parks, tour guides, and other factors. If AI is sufficiently applied to the industry, it can alleviate the pain of planning trips and make it easier. With personalized recommendations, AI can offer preferences in different categories and predictions based on the history and traveler’s needs. From business trips to vacations, AI can help plan trips and improve customer experience. In China, a WeChat applet allows users to find available vacancies based on price preferences and location, making booking accommodation services easier. Such services help tourists transition from one region to another during their travel. AI can aid in processing feedback, recommendations, and ratings of destinations from previous travelers to help other tourists identify the best places to book and places to avoid during travel.

The Experience

AI applications go beyond helping plan trips. They can promote an excellent customer experience and attract more travelers. Hotels can set up virtual services for customers to check in an out of the hotels or accommodation areas. These services can be done in three steps; scanning and confirming identification, finding order and confirming check-in, and providing room cards. Facial recognition technologies can be used to verify the tourists’ documentation during check-ins, improving efficiency. Virtual voice programs can be set up in guest rooms to enhance the comfort of travelers. These AI assistants can help visitors adjust lighting and temperature and turn on or off the entertainment systems as they desire. ‘City Brain’ AI application scans traffic, road conditions, and real-time emergencies in tourist destinations, improving tourist emergency rescue and services in tourism. The suitability of such applications can significantly improve efficiency, adaptability, experience, satisfaction, and service delivery to travelers.

Efficient Service Delivery

During peak seasons, parks and tourist spots often serve large customer numbers. Entry to these spots requires the tourists to queue and pay a cashier to obtain tickets. The process is tiring for the cashier and the tourists alike. AI assistance can help regulate the process, improving customer experience. An example is Alipay, where customers can pay online, scan the code post-payment and obtain entry to these spots without queueing for tickets. Other applications using AI are itinerary planners. Tourists can feed their needs to these assistants, which then carry out intelligent optimizations to provide the most efficient organization. Smart cities, intelligent business ecosystems, and destinations promote tourism and attract investors. Smart AI hospitality systems can use constantly learning robots to enhance customer engagement and experience. Visitors can rent vehicles with AI-powered GPS technology during their travels to provide excellent experiences as they move from place to place. Google Maps helps tourists gather information on the general infrastructure of facilities and areas of visit, including accommodation, entertainment, and restaurants.

Language Barrier

During travels, tourists often encounter language barriers in their destination spots. To counter the difficulty in communication, some tourists engage in classes to learn the language of the tourist destination beforehand. Others opt to hire tour guides that can translate their languages. Both of these options are costly and require time. The outcomes are not guaranteed and can hinder the experiences of tourists. AI-based language translators can be employed in the tourism sector to help bridge the gap. These translators help the visitors communicate with the residents in their language, replacing the need for guides or human translators. These translators are widely applicable and easy to operate, thus saving time and cost. Residents can provide information to tourists regarding culture, meals, activities, and destination spots for optimized experiences.

There are challenges in using artificial intelligence that might limit its reach. They include illiteracy and lack of knowledge of technological advances, data security and safety, malware attacks, and the replacement of human labor. These factors can hamper the AI efficiency in service delivery or tourists’ satisfaction. AI advances reduce the need for human labor, leading to increased unemployment rates which adversely affect the economy. These challenges can be overcome by improving current technologies, raising awareness and education, and training people on how to create opportunities for work using AI.

Conclusion

Tourism is one of the largest and fast-growing sectors worldwide. It connects many industries and significantly benefits the economy. AI technology applications are making headway in tourism, but there is still room for improvement. Sectors that AI can be applied to improve the tourist experience and tourism industries in different tourist destinations include customer service, planning, virtual experiences, service delivery, and the elimination of language barriers. AI assistance enhances efficient, timely, cost-saving experiences for tourists. There are challenges in implementing AI, such as malware attacks, data security, lack of technological know-how, and promotion of unemployment. These challenges can be overcome through modifications, education, and training.

Virtual Reality: New Technology in the Mental Healthcare Industry

PixelPlex — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 13:58:05 +0000

Mental health is key to the quality of daily life. Suffering from mental illness is an issue that should require effective and accessible care. Many healthcare systems all over the world display all kinds of weaknesses and instabilities in addressing and treating mental illnesses and disorders, preventing countless people from receiving the right aid. Published in March of 2020, Angela Carbonell and her colleagues wrote a systematic integrative review that outlines the common barriers that many mental healthcare systems share globally. They found patterns of high costs, insufficient resources such as facilities and professionals, and dominance of a medical model that prioritizes medicalization and psychiatric institutions rather than social factors to most mental illnesses. Although these issues require serious structural evaluations done by policymakers and legislation, introducing new technologies such as virtual reality can be a useful tool in improving treatment on a more basic level that is specific to the patients. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been recognized as a remarkable therapy for a wide range of mental illnesses. Implementing virtual reality alongside cognitive behavioral therapy in treating mental illness would offer continuity and nuance to a mental healthcare industry that lacks affordability, stable rehabilitation management, and acknowledgment of the socio-cultural impact on a patient’s psychology.

The dominance of the biomedical approach in many mental healthcare systems severely limits treatment for illnesses strongly affected by social factors. These illnesses include phobias, paranoia, PTSD, and other anxiety disorders. The biomedical model asserts that mental illnesses are a product of the biology of the brain and favors methods such as medicalization and hospitalization. The nature of the mental illness makes it difficult to treat as the development and causes are not observable in the body alone; it is not strictly a biological disorder and thus should not be treated like one. The use of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in more recent research and clinical practices demonstrates that CBT is an effective therapy for many psychological problems such as depression, anxiety disorders, drug abuse, familial issues, eating disorders, and many more. Although CBT is sometimes paired with medicinal prescriptions depending on the illness, it strays away from the biomedical approach by emphasizing the role of thinking processes and the coping behaviors that will remedy them. Virtual reality can revolutionalize an already effective system of treating mental illnesses that may not actually require pharmaceutical or institutional solutions. Virtual reality in healthcare would allow access to an artificial environment that can be manipulated to suit a patient’s treatment and progress. Patients with social anxieties associated with public speaking would have access to virtual audiences of avatars. As the patient gains confidence and learns to speak to a small audience, the program can be manipulated so that the audience can grow, and thus the patient can overcome speaking to a large group of people. In other words, it would put the therapy into live-action practice that is specific to each individual patient. A systematic review on using VR techniques in treating eating disorders shows promising results in which “authors conclude that VR techniques may add to standard CBT as they decrease negative emotional responses to food stimuli and enable exposure to body shape”. The embodiment of virtual avatars also has advantages such as enabling taking on different perspectives and challenging existing biases. Learning to cope in social situations is a major component of CBT and so having this all encapsulated in a virtual program would open up access to a wide range of possibilities that were not available before.

Rehabilitation management is another common barrier to effectively treating those with mental illnesses. Instability in this area looks like a lack of qualified professionals, community resources, space in psychiatric wards, and continuous care. Virtual reality as supplemented with CBT would be a tool in alleviating some of the responsibilities of mental health care workers and the community. If virtual reality were an accessible resource to take home, it would be a tool the patient can use to help themselves and possibly healthcare workers in assessing their progress and the next steps in their treatment. A study on the effectiveness of self-training using a VR program showed that many of the patients were able to make improvements with their social anxiety disorder (SAD). The study measured “in-app variables” such as heart rate, eye contact, speech time, and subjective nervousness and confidence. Here, important data is extracted from the patient in a way that may have been more difficult to gather in traditional therapy procedures. Having a system that can accurately track and assess the progress of a patient, would alleviate time spent with the clinician. The clinician or trained worker can use the data directly to assess the patient. Not only would the patient be able to have instant access to therapy at home, but they would also be providing important information while the therapy is taking place. This advancement would also save on other things such as costs for space and travel for treatment.

Affordability is a determining factor in whether anyone can get access to healthcare at all. Many public mental healthcare systems globally have alarmingly high costs. On top of indirect costs such as loss of work, education, and housing, victims of mental illness also need to be able to afford direct costs such as treatment, medication, and hospitalization with hospitalization being the highest cost. A systematic review showed that “direct costs of medical attention for schizophrenia finds that persisting with the pharmacological treatment prescribed and discontinuity of care are predictive factors of hospitalization and are associated with worse results and high healthcare costs”. If virtual reality as a component of CBT were to become more influential in opposition to the biomedical model, it would possibly prevent the immediate reliance on those direct costs such as pharmaceutical treatment and hospitalization. In a study assessing the cost-effectiveness of VR-CBT for patients suffering from paranoia ideation and social avoidance, the researchers found that it was an economically viable approach to improving mental health. These researchers compared two groups of patients where one group received the treatment as usual (TAU) for psychotic disorders by clinical guidelines while the other group received that care but complemented with VR-CBT. Although the TAU + VR-CBT group initially was more expensive because of there being two treatments instead of only one, “during the follow-up [they saw] that the VR-CBT group resulted in decreased health care costs and decreased costs due to productivity loss compared to the TAU-only group”. Being an effective treatment is both time and money efficient because better quality care allows patients to improve faster and thus have less treatment needed. Although this study only measures the short-term effects and is specific to this particular psychotic disorder, it shows promising results that may be replicated with other illnesses. Additionally, having a VR system at home would save on other costs such as time and money spent to travel to healthcare facilities and adjust components of one's daily life. If this kind of treatment were accessed through the public healthcare system, it would also save on the out-of-pocket expenses that are expected of private facilities.

Virtual reality in addition to CBT may help in addressing the affordability of healthcare, weak rehabilitation management, and complementing the biomedical model. Virtual reality allows access to environments that can be controlled to suit the progress of the patient as they take on therapy for social anxieties. Sometimes this is needed more than medicalization or hospitalization. Virtual reality could alleviate some responsibilities from workers and facilities by possibly being accessed in the home. As supported by research, a more effective treatment will overall save costs both money and time. Another detriment that the mental healthcare system faces is the concurrent cultural attitude toward mental health. Stigmatization of mental illnesses is a pattern in many countries and prevents many from seeking mental healthcare services. Overcoming this obstacle would mean working against a history of labeling and false social conceptions of psychology. Introducing a new technology that is also applied in mainstream culture may be a viable solution. If virtual reality sores high as a popular technology, it can propel the message of treating mental illnesses with it.

AI in Gaming

PixelPlex — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 14:35:49 +0000

Video games have been using artificial intelligence for many years now. Unfortunately, in 2D fighting games, artificial intelligence seems far less intelligent and more assisted because they are part of the game itself. There are a lot of consistently unfair benefits given to computer players in these types of games. From inputting moves and combinations faster than pro players, having frame one reactions, and seeing inputs before they appear on-screen. There are better ways to design the computer players in this genre, and that can be achieved by giving the computer the ability to adapt and make reads like the player.

The AI being impossibly fast with both inputs and reaction time can make players feel destined to lose. Even with all these tools at the AI's disposal, they can still be beaten consistently because of their exploits and how it does not adapt in matches. Adaptation and reads are a big part of why fighting games are still popular. In 2D fighters, adaptation is at the core of every match. When an opponent consistently jumps to attack, the other must realize they will jump and attack with a move that hits aerial opponents. If the player predicts or makes a read that he will jump forward again, they can adapt by attacking the space where he would jump. Eventually, they will realize they are getting hit, and they will adapt by choosing an option other than jump. This exciting push and pull between players come in many forms but is in every competitive match. Many people would agree that adaptation and reads are what makes fighting games worth watching and playing. It is also the aspect that needs to be ingrained into the AI to make playing against them more engaging and enjoyable.

In most 2D fighting games, the AI-controlled computers switch between several different hidden scripts that represent various mindsets. A few prevalent mindsets include rushdown, footsies, and zoning. Using RNG, a random number generator, they switch between different mindsets. Depending on the character, it may be more likely for them to be in one mindset than another. They may also stay in their preferred mindsets longer and completely omit others. The computer uses distance, opponent's action, and RNG to choose their next option. This "mindset" does not change at all, and RNG is not equivalent to adaptation. These types of AI have many exploits to beat them easily. Standing at a certain distance will make them taunt even though they are still in the range of being hit. In some scenarios, the computer will always respond to an action with the same move set every time. After realizing this, the player will set up a singular circumstance and get rewarded heavily for it. If the player jumps at an aerial computer opponent in Smash Bros. for Wii U, they almost always air dodge. Players can adapt to their air dodge, but the computer cannot adapt back and becomes vulnerable to attack. The only thing keeping these matches engaging is the fact that the AI has impossibly fast inputs and often starts reacting to a move before it shows up on the screen. Many fighting game developers make their computer-controlled fighters act in this manner, but this 30-year-old formula needs improvements.

Knowing the problem is halfway to solving it. So what changes can developers make to improve the AI of 2D fighter games? Let us start by looking at how people adapt their playstyle within a match. The AI will possess several different mindsets that will change based on the positioning for a match. A different mindset is used when the opponent is standing far away, near, mid-distance and must defend against corner pressure, or initiate corner pressure. Every single adaptation starts with gathering information. There is no way for a player to adapt to something without knowing why they are adapting. The computer should be the same way because the computer needs to mimic player behavior. When both characters are selected, the AI will recognize its opponent and alter all its mindsets. If they are fighting a grappler, the chance they will approach will be less, and when fighting a zoner, they will have a higher chance of approaching. As the round starts, the computer will have a midrange mindset. Staying just inside burst range and using low committal attacks. If the player is continuously pushing the computer further and further into the corner, the computer will have a growing chance to do an unsafe but rewarding option.

The Computer character will also keep track of what kind of pokes the opponent is doing and have a growing chance to react with a move that will counter it. Depending on what they got hit by, the computer will be more likely to choose behaviors that would have let them avoid or counter the hit. The earlier example is considering there is a balanced character in battle. A zoner in mid-range will use more projectiles and be more likely to back up further. Rushdown characters will focus more on approaching and close-range mix-ups. Easier said than done, but when realized, the AI would gather much praise.

This AI must be fine-tuned for each matchup a fighter can face, but each character would have its own slightly tweaked AI to do this right. In a day in age where fighting games have at least 20 characters and often much more, tuning adjustments to AI will require a lot of development work. BlazBlue Central Fiction has 33 characters, so if they put this much dedication into their AI fighters, they would have to make 1089 fine-tuned AI. That is a ludicrous amount and foolish to attempt. Similarities between characters can lower the number, but the game would have at least 800. A game with this experimental AI would need a minimal roster. However, fewer move sets mean fewer characters people are interested in, and it could harm sales. The only way I see this being done is with a cast of 5 or lower by a small team that wants to show off the AI instead of making a detailed and option rich fighting game. A new game series with few characters makes the workload plausible, but who would buy a fighting game with only five playable characters? Nintendo uses elite smash matches as a reference when balancing Super Smash Brothers Ultimate. If there was a way for the AI to understand and utilize the adaptations from online matches, it could program itself. This way, it will learn new technique as they are discovered and will not need to be modified during balance changes.

Computer players advanced decision-making will make them harder to exploit and give players a more significant challenge. It would be utterly unfair if they still had impossibly fast inputs and reaction time. Computers have these benefits to help them compensate for their lousy decision-making in matches. Once the AI has been improved, their reaction and input time need to be slowed down for balance. They will still be fast when it comes to reacting and inputting moves, but at a speed where people can reasonably copy.

In conclusion, 2D fighting games have used the same outdated AI principles for too long, where people actively encourage newer players not to play against them when trying to improve. The AI is flawed, and developers gave them inhuman input and reaction time to make up for it. While considering how humans play fighting games, I made a rough idea of a computer player that plays well without practically cheating. Unfortunately, it would be too much work to incorporate this type of AI in any modern fighting game. There needs to be one with a minimal cast to make the workload feasible. Whoever does use these principles in their game will be praised by many people within the fighting game community. Only then, it might seep into other games and improve the genre as a whole.