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Technical Challenges of VuzeCamera (iOS) — First-ever 3D VR Movie Shot in Space

Reading time5 min
Views962
VuzeCamera is the first consumer 360° 3D camera and a new dual-camera that gives anyone the power to create and share immersive experiences in 360° or VR180° (3D) Photo and Video.


This device is regularly ranked in the top selections of the best cameras, it’s been praised by numerous reviews, and a couple of years ago the Vuze camera went to the International Space Station to shoot the first-ever 3D VR movie shot in space.

How Can AI & Data Science Help to Fight the Coronavirus?

Reading time4 min
Views1.5K
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Do you know AI can save us from a worldwide pandemic?

Yeah, it's true. Our global researchers have touted these two buzzing technologies can provide a substantial social benefit to this worldwide health crisis.

Before I begin, I would like to take this moment to say THANK YOU to all our COVID-19 Warriors standing on the frontline and working day and night for us. We can’t thank them enough. Our healthcare staff, police, scientist, security guards, and sweepers. Their contribution is overwhelming and commendable ?

Discovering a drug for any medicine demands the joint efforts of the world's brightest minds. The process is notoriously long, complicated, and expensive. And that's how health experts are involved in searching COVID-19 medicine. In the midst of such a crisis, artificial intelligence solutions are offering a new hope that a cure might appear faster with it.
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Don't spoil Desktop Software Engineers with your Mobile First solutions, think about it

Reading time4 min
Views2.1K

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English translation of Philip Ranzim's post at his blog page here. (With author's permission)


Once upon a time, my girlfriend started using Instagram. She asked me to sign up for it and subscribe to it. I tried — I couldn't do it because you couldn't register at Instagram from a desktop computer. I then thought — how weird people are. Well, what kind of fool would make a software product that can't be used with a normal computer? They won't succeed, and this Instagram will be a marginal service for a bunch of strange women, who for some reason don't like desktops.


It has only been a few years, the market has put everything in place — and the biggest fool was me. And the geniuses at Instagram predicted how and where everything would develop. Today, most of the user applications are made primarily for mobile platforms. At best, they include a universal web client, which is still optimized for mobile phones. Because users love iPhones, not computers. Business people sat down, counted, and made a decision — let's make more money, let's have mobile First everywhere.

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How to save energy with BARY: Smart Home

Reading time10 min
Views847


Well, every modern person has at least once wondered: for how much longer can you pay such huge utility bills?! I am no exception. Electricity, gas, heating, water, rent, elevator, removal of solid waste, etc. etc.

One of the reasons (far from the last) of creating the BARY application was the ability to collect statistics, analyze and reduce energy consumption. Europe has long passed into the regime of total economy; I think this fate will not bypass us. Therefore, to prepare for this in advance definitely will not be superfluous.

I now propose that we examine how we managed to optimize the cost of electricity along with BARY: Smart Home.
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The Project «Fabula»: How to find the desired video-fragment or person in a pile of video files?

Reading time2 min
Views1.7K
If a person is far over 20, then he has already accumulated a huge film library of his life, as well as videos from friends, relatives, and from his place of work… It is no longer possible to find someone or something specific there. Recently, I was preparing a video compilation for my daughter's anniversary – I spent a week. The media is all the more overloaded with video archives. And every day, millions of terabytes of video content appear in the world. And this is in the era of BIG DATA.

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Here are the Most Popular Video Conference APIs To be Considered for your Mobile App

Reading time8 min
Views21K
As the world rearranges into virtualized societal norms, the most convenient and simplified interaction for businesses or socially has come from video-based apps. Extensive use of these conferencing apps is trending Post COVID-19 pandemic.
Statista.com has tracked the high number of video conference app downloads from AppStore and GoogleStore for the following
:
Video conferencing App / Country Hangouts Meet Houseparty Ms Teams Zoom
USA 30 8 11 4
France 23 30 16 2
Germany 15 26 11 17
Spain 64 2360 15 27
Italy 140 423 30 55

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How to “sew up” the retina and should it be done?

Reading time9 min
Views1.8K
Imagine the situation — you live in peace, nothing hurts and does not blush, wear glasses or lenses, or do not use anything and see perfectly — and you accidentally get an appointment with an ophthalmologist. For example, because of conscription into the army, because of pregnancy, or just for a dispensary examination. And suddenly you will find out that your retina is “full of holes” or stretched and is about to break.

And they recommend you to “sew it on”. And you doubt — and this is exactly what you need? And how safe is it? But nothing bothers — then why? Or maybe they want to earn money on me? And the first thing you start is to read posts on the Internet, what a “independent” expert like Google will say.

And in the future everything depends on your discipline and attention to your own health. You can get to the ophthalmologist-laser specialist, who will be the last resort, and he will do preventive laser coagulation.

Or «forget it» for everything and continue to live as before — nothing bothers you. What is the risk?

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VeChain Has Introduced Blockchain-Based Healthcare Data Management Platform At Cyprus Hospital

Reading time5 min
Views2K
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Blockchain possesses incredible potential, that's why blockchain systems are considered as a paradise for data. In all these years, the discovery of Blockchain has been enjoyed for the introduction of distributed systems to secure data by cryptography.

From the creation of cryptocurrency to distributed ledger systems and mobile applications, this technology is being welcomed by every business vertical, and its adoption has become complimentary for companies. Moreover, its adoption can majorly be cherished by the healthcare industry.

A number of IT institutions are engaged in finding the most promising usage of blockchain technology in healthcare. Let's take a brief look at Blockchain adoption in 2020.

The Global Blockchain Adoption


In 2020, the worldwide spending on blockchain systems is USD 4.3 billion. As per Statista, the market of Blockchain will be worth 20 billion USD by the year 2025. Its most critical adoption can be seen in the healthcare industry, where this technology is being considered as the biggest game-changer.



The truth is that this technology has shown a path to distributed systems coupled with unmatched security measures That secure data in a chain of blocks infused with cryptographic locks. Top-notch level security and quality of not being tempered by any external entity boost its adoption in several instances.
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Presbyopia: «menopause» of the eyes in men and women

Reading time9 min
Views1K

What do you think, how many operations can be done on one eye? A clinical case of one of my patients confirms that more than 20 operations of various kinds are not the limit. Although, no doubt, this case is a record for Russia and the world of ophthalmology.

In 1978, everything was trivial — there was an 18 year old boy (let's call him “A”) who wanted to become a test pilot like his father. This was hampered by weak myopia of the right eye — only minus 1, it did not interfere with life, but the future pilot needed good vision. He decided to correct the optics of one eye by keratotomy — the old “manual” correction method at the Fedorov Institute (of course, through an acquaintance), but something went wrong. This was the first operation. Then four more in Russia, then seven more — in Switzerland. He did not become a pilot, but he became an oligarch, a man who manages serious business projects, but does not control the situation with his vision.

To me, «A» got completely disappointed in the world of ophthalmology, with 10% vision, the impossibility of correction by standard methods and high intraocular pressure. And it was a young 50-year-old businessman, successful in life (this is important — because not everything went further «like that» either). So — the next eight operations are mine. And although we expected that one or two would be enough — we had to go through almost total ophthalmic surgery — all possible types of operations.

By the way, instead of keratotomy, there would be a correction of SMILE (ReLEX SMILE) or, at least, Femto-LASIK — there wouldn’t be anything to write about — it’s impossible to do anything like that!
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Cataract: it is waiting for you personally (if you live, of course)

Reading time10 min
Views1.1K

This is a model of an intraocular multifocal lens from Carl Zeiss. The real size of such a lens is 11 millimeters, the diameter of the optical zone is 6 mm.

The cataract is, simplifying, age opacification and consolidation of a crystalline lens. According to the classical definition, we are talking about the turbidity of any type. First, something gets in the field of view, a general “fog” appears, you want to wipe dirty glasses, then you do not see the letters in the book, then you want to turn on the light brighter or, on the contrary, you hide from the bright light, and then wake up one fine morning and understand that you can not find slippers. And you see nothing at all — only the shadows. This process sometimes stretches for many years, but slippers are still lost. Mention of clouding that develops in the eyeball, there are still thousands of years before our era.

The treatment procedure has historically been very peculiar — reclination of a cloudy lens. The doctor took the patient with a very dense lens — to that dense stage that the patient is already blind. During the excavations of the settlements of ancient Greece and Rome, the tools used by doctors to remove cataracts were found — sharp needles that pierced the eye and lens, destroying its supporting apparatus. The lens could come off and, by virtue of its gravity, could also fall down from hitting the back of the head with a heavy stick several times. Sometimes the patient died during the emergency eye care, sometimes he had a concussion, and sometimes the lens fell off the ligaments and flew deep into the eye. The patient began to see again — he had a huge lump and vision of about +10 +15 diopters.

Now two news. The bad — people began to live to cataracts more often, and it is inevitable. Good — we have something better than sharp needles and a heavy stick.
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From four to thirty two. Early years of computers and networks in Russia

Reading time38 min
Views1.8K

Part I: From four to eight



I like to read the memoirs of people who observed the computers taking first steps in their countries. They always have something romantic about them. Usually, such memories are greatly influenced by the circumstances of that encounter with his first computer: it could be the workplace, or education establishment, it could be just an unexpected and random thing.

Like many of my friends, I was lucky to see the end of that special romantic period, when computer makers were not trying to please the regular users. They were creating the devices with distinctive and unique features they thought were right for some of reasons. This approach is clear to see in both software and hardware. Such features were making the device to sell in millions or be a commercial failure.

It all started differently for different people. Some of them were working with buzzing massive computers that could fill an entire room, the others had desktop-style home computers. There were people, who made their first computer themselves using specialist magazine publications. Different types of computers created the variety of specific traditions, interests and subcultures.
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FAQ about laser correction ReLEx SMILE: yes, in Russia there is, but no, in Russia there isn’t

Reading time9 min
Views2.1K


— Are small-invasive laser vision correction operations done in Russia using the Small Incision Lenticule Extraction method?

Yes, about 10 years already. Every year, more and more at conferences of ophthalmologists, questions arise not at the level of “What is this?”, But at specific practical nuances of technology. VisuMax lasers exist in several clinics in Russia, but it is much less used under ReLEx SMILE than under femtoLASIK. Historically, it happened in Russia that this technology is little used in the central part and is actively used beyond the Urals.

— What is the story with licenses for specific operations?

Zeiss sells cones with licenses. A cone — a replacement part adjacent to the eye — is purchased with a license to use a laser procedure, usually in batches of 10 or 100 operations. For example, 10 cones and 10 licenses are received. Licenses are driven through the laser menu, and it allows you to use the appropriate cones for the appropriate program types. Licenses for SMILE separately, for femtoLASIK separately, for FLEX, rings and additional corrections are also separate licenses. Most manufacturers of femtosecond and some excimer lasers have a similar situation. Licenses for excimer operations are not needed, perhaps, except on models of about 5 years old and older.

— And you can not get such a license for SMILE?

Easily. Firstly, this module in the laser is as an expensive option, so the device itself without the SMILE option is cheaper. Secondly, if this option is available, then licenses to carry out the operation ReLEx SMILE can be acquired only after conducting 5–10 test runs on pig eyes, then performing at least 10 femtoLASIK operations on patients, then 50 FLEX operations, and only after that Buy a SMILE license for a specific surgeon.
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A couple more unobvious things that you might not be told before laser vision correction

Reading time13 min
Views1.1K

Today, without the «tin», as you asked

There is already a post about how the laser cuts by creating millions of cavitation bubbles in the cornea layer of the eye, and analyzing telemetry from the real operation in seconds with comments of the surgeon's actions.

Now FAQ about various related things


— If I look away while the laser is running, what will happen?

You simply will not work. In fact, immediately after anesthesia, the eye is pressed against a special pneumocapture. To blink at you too will not leave because of fixing (it is not long and not for long). The only moment where it is possible to seriously disrupt the course of the operation is to pull the head down strongly, pulling it out of the headrest by a serious willed effort. In this case, the operation will instantly stop. More precisely, it will stop even before the loss of capture (details below).

— How should an operating room be prepared?

In general — as a normal operating room, that is, a room with a clean area (air filtration, overpressure to prevent contamination from the outside after cleaning). It is important for the procedure that microparticles of dust flying in the air do not fall between the laser lens and the eye.
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About embedded again: searching for bugs in the Embox project

Reading time11 min
Views592

Рисунок 2

Embox is a cross-platform, multi-tasking real-time operating system for embedded systems. It is designed to work with limited computing resources and allows you to run Linux-based applications on microcontrollers without using Linux itself. Certainly, the same as other applications, Embox couldn't escape from bugs. This article is devoted to the analysis of errors found in the code of the Embox project.

Blood sugar and COVID-19

Reading time7 min
Views2.3K
Novel pandemic is very new for science, often it takes years before scientists prove connection of risk factors and replicate their findings in experimental setups, but it is not the case to wait. I have been observing different facts about COVID-19 and propose “Hypothesis for connection between blood sugar levels and infection”. The only reason I do this now with so many controversies is that I genuinely believe it can save lives. Lives of my friends, and their relatives.

In the article below I summarise my knowledge on infection and immunity, back it up by links to COVID observations of doctors and scientific papers.
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Scientists Turn a Quantum Computer into a Time Machine — At least, for a Second…

Reading time5 min
Views2K
Scientists said they were able to return the state of a quantum computer a fraction of a second into the past, according to a university press release. The researchers, who are from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, along with colleagues from the U.S. and Switzerland, also calculated the probability that an electron in empty interstellar space will spontaneously travel back into its recent past. The study came out recently in Scientific Reports.
“This is one in a series of papers on the possibility of violating the second law of thermodynamics. That law is closely related to the notion of the arrow of time that posits the one-way direction of time: from the past to the future,” commented the study’s lead author Gordey Lesovik, who heads the Laboratory of the Physics of Quantum Information Technology at MIPT.

While the researchers don’t expect you to take a trip back to the high school prom just yet, they added that the time reversal algorithm could prove useful for making quantum computers more precise.

“Our algorithm could be updated and used to test programs written for quantum computers and eliminate noise and errors,” Lebedev explained.

The researchers said that the work builds on some earlier work that recently garnered headlines.

“We began by describing a so-called local perpetual motion machine of the second kind. Then, in December, we published a paper that discusses the violation of the second law via a device called a Maxwell’s demon,” Lesovik said. “The most recent paper approaches the same problem from a third angle: We have artificially created a state that evolves in a direction opposite to that of the thermodynamic arrow of time.”
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Top 5 SMM Tools to Skyrocket Your Social Strategy

Reading time4 min
Views3.8K

Social media marketing or, simply, SMM is indispensable in 2020. All businesses and personal brands that want to attract user attention should focus on social networks. Moreover, if you want to dominate Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other platform, you will need dedicated SMM tools. It’s totally okay to start without them. But any profile that aims at sustainable growth should consider marketing and management software.


In this guide, we will briefly cover the main categories of SMM systems. Due to a large number of available tools, we just can’t review all of them. That’s why the main section unveils five the most useful and powerful systems for SMM specialists in 2020.

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GoROBO: an educational initiative from the ITMO University startup accelerator

Reading time3 min
Views1.4K
GoROBO is an ITMO University project through and through: one of the co-owners graduated our mechatronics MA program, and two other employees are current postgrad students.

Let’s talk about the educational environment they want to create, why they chose to build such an unusual startup, and what awaits GoROBO clubs in the future.

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