Visual Search Engine Coming to iPhone in June

Breakthrough Visual Search Engine for Mobile Phones Takes Off Big in Japan

Pasadena, CA & Tokyo, Japan - April 17, 2008 - Evolution Robotics Inc., a leading robotics technology company, in partnership with Bandai Networks Co. Ltd, Japan's leading mobile content provider, announced today that KDDI Corporation is including the "ER Search" visual search engine on its new Spring 2008 "au™" line of camera phones, and has made it available for download for any KDDI customer with a prior "au" camera phone. This launch marks a dramatic expansion in the market for mobile visual search, which will enable millions of consumers in Japan alone to do online searches by taking pictures of everyday objects with their camera phone.



The deployment of this technology in the mass market also opens up an entirely new range of categories of services for mobile marketing, which is already projected to grow to $24 Billion worldwide by 2013. (Source: ABI Research)

ER Search is a mobile search engine operated by Bandai Networks and powered by Evolution Robotics' ViPR visual pattern recognition system. It works essentially like using a traditional search engine, but without having to type any text or go through complicated menus. Instead, users simply snap a picture of something they're interested in and immediately get back relevant content, all in the palm of the hands.

As an example, KDDI customers will be able to take a picture of a music CD that would return links relating to the artist, hear clips from the album and purchase songs to download on their phone. If they are shopping for wine in a store, they can take a picture of the wine label and get expert reviews and recommendations on the spot. Or, if they are browsing through a catalog and see an item they'd like to buy, they can order it immediately by snapping a picture of the item on the page.

"ER Search is an entirely new way for connecting consumers with content and companies," said Satoshi Oshita, CEO of Bandai Networks. "Because ER Search runs on mobile phones, searches happen when and where the customer is, as soon as they see something that they're interested in. Additionally, the fact that a customer simply has to click a picture of a product or advertisement, makes the search process far easier and immediate than anything that has been available before."

"We are very pleased to be working with Bandai Networks and are excited to see the momentum building in the Japanese market," said Paolo Pirjanian, President and CEO of Evolution Robotics. "Our mission is to take aerospace-grade technologies and make them affordable for mass market applications, and ER Search is a great example. We see this as just the start of a growing market for visual search in Asia and other parts of the globe and are actively working with our partners to expand the range of services that can benefit consumers and companies alike."

Bandai Networks had already deployed ER Search on over one million phones in Japan in 2007. With this deployment with KDDI, the number of users with access to ER Search will expand by millions more in a very short time, making it even more compelling for companies and advertisers to participate in the service.

About ViPR

The ViPR technology easily supports user-generated content so that users can take new pictures of objects, images, videos or even locations and tag them with links and content to expand the database. That content will then show up in the results returned to other users who take similar pictures, thus creating a robust world-wide visual database for communities to develop and access.

ER Search's versatility rests in Evolution Robotics' breakthrough ViPR visual recognition technology. ViPR is able to learn new objects and images on the fly (such as the cover art on a music CD), without the need for any special encoding such as barcodes or watermarks. Just as significant, ViPR performs well on low cost components such as the cameras used on most mobile phones today, even when lighting and other visual conditions are poor.

For the music search application alone, Bandai Networks has over 150,000 music CD covers already indexed in their database. Other mobile marketing and mobile commerce applications include providing content and links for print ads, book covers, DVDs, product packaging, movie posters, retail displays, business signs, etc. Even animation, streaming video or images from live TV can be supported.

Text pasted from gizmodo

Will a YouTube Platform Matter?

The video site will let people do more with their clips, like watch them on TiVo.

Bloggers and other website managers have long been able to embed videos hosted by the online video site YouTube in their own pages. But on Wednesday, YouTube announced that it would give computer programmers access to some of the technology that underlies its site. The company's goal was to involve itself in other methods of distributing Web video--not just YouTube.com, but websites and services that include TiVo, video games, and Webcam software.

"For users, the exciting news is that they will be able to actively participate in the YouTube community from just about anywhere," says Jim Patterson, YouTube product manager, "including the online destinations and Web communities they already love and visit regularly."

In other words, YouTube--which Google bought last year for $1.6 billion--won't be just a website that lets people view, rate, and comment on videos. It will be a platform upon which software developers can build their own video-player interfaces, customized video, and search tools. Ultimately, users will be able to upload video from sites built on the YouTube platform, instead of having to go to YouTube.com. Later this year, the company will offer another service that will let viewers log into YouTube and watch videos via their TiVo set-top boxes. The service will be available to people who have broadband connections and a Tivo Series 3 system or an high-definition set-top box. (This isn't the first time YouTube has found its way to the television: Apple TV started offering built-in YouTube access last year.)

But there are key differences between YouTube video and the content typically viewed on a television. "What YouTube has shown is that online video represents a new medium that's much more about bite-sized morsels and things that are conducive to the small screen and short attention spans," says Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst of Leichtman Research Group. Because YouTube's low-resolution clips might not look good when expanded to fill a TV screen, says Tara Maitra, vice president and general manager for content services at TiVo, the TiVo service might restrict them to just a small part of the screen.

Certainly, some people will be excited to learn that they will no longer need to gather their friends around their computer monitors to watch their favorite YouTube clips. But Leichtman says YouTube on TiVo will really affect only a small number of people. "We have to keep this in perspective," says Leichtman. The YouTube-ready TiVo boxes are "representative of less than 1 percent of all households. It really adds no breadth."

YouTube applications developed by other companies, such as game developer Electronic Arts (EA) or online-slide-show maker Animoto, might have more traction. EA plans to release a YouTube feature in its game Spore, in which players build their own creatures. "When a ... user finishes creating their creature, they have the option to record a short video of their creature in action," says Brandon Barber, director of entertainment development and programming at EA. "This can be uploaded to that user's YouTube account in a few clicks." Since sharing parts of games is something that gamers already do, the combination of EA and YouTube is natural. Animoto has integrated a single-click option that lets a user quickly share a photo slide show on YouTube, also a natural combination of services.


Exactly how YouTube will make money from its platform remains unclear, however. YouTube has said that there is no revenue-sharing model built into its open platform, but in that respect, it's not alone. The social-networking websites Facebook and Twitter, which supply platforms for developers to use, have no clear profit model either. YouTube contends that as more software and services are built on its platform, more users will sign up for them. Ultimately, that large audience could translate into revenue through advertising. At this point, however, none of these companies has implemented a reliable method for making money from its audience.

"I think, at its core, with all the success of YouTube from a viewer standpoint, one still has to ask, 'Where's the money?'" says Leichtman. "The knee-jerk way is advertising," he says. But as Google expands the YouTube service, it has to look for new ways to make money, he says. "YouTube is a phenomenon," Leichtman says, "but it's not a revenue phenomenon."

[Text pasted from MIT's Technology Review]

Numbrosia - Merit Based News

There’s some chatter today on Hacker News and Profy about a new site called Numbrosia. Unlike Digg, stories are not ranked via user voting.

Instead, users solve math puzzles that get progressively harder. The higher their score, the higher their submitted news items appear. The exact number of points for an item is the recent score divided by the number of submitted links, so it makes sense for users to submit just a single story.

There’s no business here, and we’ll likely never touch on Numbrosia again. But I like the creativity, and sometimes seeing something like this creates the seed of a new idea in others. Plus, puzzle addicts will likely waste an afternoon on the site.

Perhaps intelligent testing could help other sites reduce spam or otherwise improve their service.

[Text pasted from TechCrunch]

Paramount to release thousands of film clips on Facebook

Paramount Pictures will become the first major studio to make thousands of movie clips available for use on the internet, launching its VooZoo application Monday on Facebook.

"The short clips for a movie that you've already seen before helps you relive the moment," said Derek Broes, Paramount's senior vice-president of entertainment.

Users of the popular social networking site will have access to footage from thousands of movies, including Forrest Gump and The Ten Commandments.

Facebook users can send the video clips to others users on the site.

The scenes last from a few seconds to a few minutes, covering everything from Audrey Hepburn's monologue about her "no-name slob" of a cat in Breakfast at Tiffany's, to Eddie Murphy's signature chuckle from Beverly Hills Cop.

DVDs of the movies will be offered for sale through a button that appears after each clip is played. Eventually, the studio will be using the same method to market upcoming films.

VooZoo is expected to attract a few hundred thousand users within its first two months.

"My benchmark for success is that people are joining and sending," Broes said.

The task of selecting clips was time consuming. Paramount staffers worked for more than a year to archive and tag the clips being offered.

Paramount officials say they're not sure how much they may reap through the experiment, and have no "revenue goals" attached to the project.

[Text pasted from CBCNews]

The Revolution of Mobile Search

This is a nice presentation from Yahoo! about search applications for mobiles I found on slideshare.

| View | Upload your own

Mobile Marketing

This is a nice presentation on mobile marketing and the possibilities of interaction that unveil in public spaces. Ever thought you could make Jesus talk by sending a SMS?

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Music site Last.fm bought by CBS

Social music site Last.fm has been bought by US media giant CBS Corporation for $280m (£140m), the largest-ever UK Web 2.0 acquisition.

The online network was founded in the UK five years ago and it now has more than 15 million active users.

It allows users to connect with other listeners with similar music tastes, to custom-build their own radio stations and to watch music video-clips.


A visit to Last.fm headquarters in Brunswick place, London.

Last.fm founding member Martin Stiksel said it was an "exciting opportunity".

As part of the deal, Last.fm's managing team will remain in place and the site will maintain its own separate identity.

Mr Stiksel said: "This move will really support us to get every track ever recorded and every music video ever made onto Last.fm.

"With a strong partner like CBS, this is now within our reach."

Dot.com boom

CBS Corporation has business interests in TV, web and radio.

CBS radio is the largest radio group in the United States, with 179 stations in the top 50 markets covering news, rock, country and urban music.

The firm's president and CEO Leslie Moonves said: "Last.fm is one of the fastest growing online communities out there."

He said Last.fm's strength in building communities around music and syndicating content was "central to CBS".

He added: "Their demographics also play perfectly to CBS's goal to attract younger viewers and listeners across our businesses."

CBS is not the first major player to purchase up-and-coming websites for millions or even billions of dollars, prompting what some have called the second dot.com boom.

In 2005 Rupert Murdoch's News Corp snapped up social networking site MySpace for $580m (£290m). And last year, search engine Google paid $1.65bn (£883m) for video site YouTube.

Mr Stiksel said Last.fm would retain an independent identity.

He said CBS was buying "great technology and a very vibrant, active community".

"They want to move from a content company to an audience company giving the audiences control and learning from this and that's why Last.fm was their choice," he added.

Mr Stiksel said he did not think that users would feel disappointed that a mainstream media firm had bought the site.

"When we said revolution we mean that - we put the users in charge. CBS gets this.

"They understand that consuming media is changing, the patterns are changing."

Online network

As part of the acquisition, the Last.fm management team, including founders Felix Miller, Martin Stiksel and Richard Jones, will continue to independently run the online network

Mr Stiksel said the deal proved that Web 2.0 companies did not have to be in the United States to succeed.

"Being in London has helped us; it's the best place to do things with music full stop. It's the place that leads the world."

The three founders will now be among the most successful - and potentially wealthy - Web 2.0 pioneers in the world.

Mr Stiksel said: "The success of the site is the most important thing. With a strong partner we can add the features we always dreamed about."

[Text pasted from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6701863.stm]

Mobile gaming: Nokia launches the n-gage platform

The n-gage platform, launched this week by nokia, promises to be a cornerstone in the growth of the mobile gaming industry.


An introduction to the n-gage platform

Thanks to an alliance with major mobile operators and games producers (Capcom, Electronic Arts, Vivendi Gamer Mobile, Thq wireless, Glu Mobile, i-play, Gameloft, Indiagames, Digital Chocolate) the platform will foster the development and distribution of games specifically designed for mobile devices. The Dirk Spanner title, a detective adventure, will for instance use typical features of mobile phones such as maps and cameras to examinate objects.


The Dirk Spanner trailer

The n-gage portal will also act as a community to bring mobile gamers together.

Mixed reality and interactive storytelling: MXR wIzQubes

The MXR Corporation, based in Singapore, is marketing wIzQubes: a toy which exploits mixed reality technology to allow kids to have 3D interactive storytelling experience. It looks like a RPG game in physical reality.


A wIzQubes demo found on youtube

wIzQubes enables users to enjoy virtual stories from a special 3-D angle. The Magic Cubes leverage off Mixed or Augmented Reality technology to bring stories to life. Users access 3D virtual reality and interact with story characters to dive into the world of mixed reality.

By allowing children to actively participate in the storytelling and directly engaging with their most favorite story characters, children can learn and play at the same time. wIzQubes are designed to capture children imaginations, are easy to handle and fun to play with.

It does not take long to get started. Users take two plastic cubes with images on them. A web camera then capture s the images on the cube and a software calls up the animated story already stored in a software CD to let the users view and interact with the story.

The unique advantage of the product is that users not just view and visualize the animated story in an all rounded 3-D format, but also interact and play an active part in the story, through the interactive software component.

[Text pasted from MXR's website]

Digital libraries and technology-enhanced learning: Call 3 information days

17-18 December 2007, Luxembourg

The information days are events aimed at helping participants to better understand the work programme and criteria for the evaluation of proposals, to facilitate sharing of ideas and experiences, and to find partners for project consortia.

This infoday addresses researchers interested in submitting project proposals to the third ICT call under FP7, objective ICT -2007.4.3: Digital libraries and technology-enhanced learning.

The event will be held at:

European Commission
Jean Monnet building
Conference centre
Rue Alcide de Gasperi
Luxembourg (Kirchberg)

Participation to the event is free of charge

The information days will offer two half-day plenary sessions aiming at providing participants with information relevant for preparing proposals to the third ICT call. Main issues are the research challenges in the work programme and criteria for the evaluation of proposals.

The remaining time will allow for participants to present posters in order to find project partners, or to discuss their proposal ideas in bilateral meetings with Commission staff.

[text pasted from the event's web page]

The Reactable: from research to mainstream

The reactable is a collaborative electronic music instrument with a tabletop tangible multi-touch interface. Several simultaneous performers share complete control over the instrument by moving and rotating physical objects on a luminous round table surface. By moving and relating these objects, representing components of a classic modular synthesizer, users can create complex and dynamic sonic topologies, with generators, filters and modulators, in a kind of tangible modular synthesizer or graspable flow-controlled programming language.

With her first tour concert at the Coachella Festival in California, the Icelandic singer Björk introduced the reactable for the first time to a mainstream audience.


Bjork performs Declare Independence at Coachella, 2007, Reactable featured

[text pasted from reactable's website]

BRICKS - Building Resources for Integrated Cultural Knowledge Services

The BRICKS Project researches and implements advanced open source software solutions for the sharing and the exploitation of digital cultural resources.

The BRICKS Community is a worldwide federation of cultural heritage institutions, research organisations, technological providers, and other players in the field of digital libraries services.

The Community orientates and validates the project results, and co-operates towards the creation of the BRICKS Cultural Heritage Network that will provide access to and foster the European digital memory.

[text pasted from BRICKS' website]