Cheers & Jeers
Cheers: to the marvels of technology. A company called Datagen, based in Tel Aviv, New York City and Gurugram, India, is using simulated humans to create synthetic data which, in turn, can be used to test various technologies. As MIT Technology Review reports, “Datagen is now generating facial expressions to monitor driver alertness in smart cars, body motions to track customers in cashier-free stores, and irises and hand motions to improve the eye- and hand-tracking capabilities of VR headsets.” It’s official: the future is here.
Cheers: to progress. At long last, the provincial government has struck an Inquiry into the Treatment, Experiences and Outcomes of Innu in the Child Protection System — something the Innu Nation has advocated for for years. Former Innu Nation grand chief Anastasia Qupee joins former provincial court judge James Igloliorte and retired social work professor Mike Devine as commissioners for the inquiry. Their aim will be to improve the child protection system of the future by learning from the mistakes and experiences of the past. Something good will surely come of this.
Jeers: to bizarre bets. There are people who will bet on anything, and we mean anything. A case in point? While many people saw French President Emmanuel Macron getting slapped in this face last week while visiting a small town in southeastern France for the assault that it was, others saw opportunity. Turns out the British PM is now the odds-on favourite to receive the next “open-handed welcome” among world leaders. According to The Odds PR: “Sportsbetting.ag made Boris Johnson a 7/1 favorite to feel the fingers of fury, while Alexander Lukashenko is second on the odds list at 8/1. North American leaders Joe Biden and Justin Trudeau come in with 10/1 odds.” You heard it here first.
Cheers: to trivia. Hands up if you’ve ever watched A-ha’s video “Take On Me.” You’re not alone. So far, the ground-breaking animated video has been viewed more than 1 billion times on Youtube alone. What you might not know about the video, but which you do now, courtesy of Mentalfloss.com, is that the song’s catchy hook, “Take on me,” is “based on the famous three-note octave in Richard Strauss’s symphonic poem ‘Thus Spake Zarathustra.’” Who knew?
Cheers: to there being a fix for everything. Just when you despaired over your poor eye-contact skills on your Zoom date, your work meeting, your parentteacher interaction, Eyelinez comes to the rescue. Eyelinez “are a focus and engagement aid, which draws attention to the camera, while also improving natural connections with a virtual audience. These vinyl, repositionable stickers surround a camera with welcoming, fun designs to remind users where to look to make eye contact and master their virtual presence.” Voilà! Never look distracted onscreen again.