InMap Application Creates A Matrix Of One's Contact World

LinkedIn has launched InMaps, an experimental project that creates a stunning visualization of the connections within your business network. Image Credit: LinkedIn via Mashable (2011)

InMap Application Creates A Matrix Of One's Contact World

LinkedIn, the world wide web's strongest portal in the professional life social media cloud has just released an exciting, new visual application that might help one to use the contact network in a deeper, and hopefully, useful way.

Many use these social media portals to just line up their next professional working position (a job), but when one is able to gain information through taking the existing information in one's database and look at it in a different and unique way ... a whole new world opens up. Additional opportunities to connect on targeted and previously unused common connection points is only the beginning for LinkedIn's new InMap visual application.

This excerpted and edited from Mashable -

LinkedIn Launches Tool to Visualize Your Business Network
By Ben Parr - Mashable 1/24/2011

InMaps sifts through all of your connections, detects the relationships between them, and groups them into different network clusters. For example, LinkedIn separated my networks into eight clusers, including my technology/social media contacts, my Mashable network and my network of classmates at Northwestern University. It color-codes and clumps these networks together so you can see the depth of your connections in one interface.

InMaps is an insight into who the major connections, bridges and influencers are in your network. People with bigger dots and their names in larger fonts have more connections (and typically more sway) in specific clusters. Perhaps that’s why my friend Neal Sales-Griffin, the former president of Northwestern’s student body, is so prominent in my professional graph.

InMaps also includes a few options for sharing. It creates a landing page with your LinkedIn InMap (you can check mine out as an example) and provides Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn share buttons so you can spread your map to the rest of your network.
Reference Here>>

So, launch LinkedIn's InMap and see just who in your professional contact world is a "Big Dot/Larger Font" (BDLF?) kinda' influence in your overall network!

Ahhhhhhh ... social media!

DynoValve: The Awareness - Rebirth Of The Lowly PCV Valve

Savi Corporation's DynoValve Kit Packaging - The DynoValve takes the functioning of the mechanical Positive Crankcase Valve process and brings the process evolution to its maximum effectiveness. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

DynoValve: The Awareness - Rebirth Of The Lowly PCV Valve

MPG Track Day exhibit discovery leads to test!

Motor Press Guild's Track Day is a time each year where journalists who have a focus on transportation technology and culture come together with the major automobile manufacturers to find out what is new for the next year's (2011) selling season. Any company who believes they have something to contribute to the event and wish to gain exposure to 150 plus people who write and another 100 or so people who market transportation platforms may end up presenting their solutions as an exhibitor or sponsor to the event ... Savi Corporation was one such company.

After over a half a decade of research and development, testing, and working with various environmental agencies, Savi Corporation was able to introduce its "smart" Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve to the world at last month’s 60th Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance ... the DynoValve. The DynoValve replaces the mechanical PCV Valve found as original manufacture on all engines and takes the functioning of this environmentally useful process to a higher, more efficient level.

Pictured - The DynoValve computer-controlled valve on top with the mechanical PCV valve on bottom. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

This excerpted and edited from Wikipedia -

As an engine operates, high-pressure gases are contained within the combustion chamber and prevented from passing into the crankcase (containing the crankshaft and other parts) between the side of the piston and the cylinder bore by piston rings which seal against the cylinder. However, some amount of gas always leaks past the piston rings into the crankcase. This amount is very small in a new or properly rebuilt engine, provided that the piston rings and cylinder walls are correctly "broken in", and increases as the engine wears. Scratches on the cylinder walls or piston rings, such as those caused by foreign objects entering the engine, can cause large amounts of leakage. This leaked gas is known as blow-by because the pressure within the cylinders blows it by the piston rings. If this blow-by gas could not escape then pressure would build up within the crankcase.

Before the invention of crankcase ventilation in 1928, the engine oil seals were designed to withstand this pressure, oil leaking to the road surface was accepted, and the dipstick was screwed in. The hydrocarbon rich gas would then diffuse through the oil in the seals into the atmosphere. Subsequently, it became an emissions requirement as well as a functional necessity that the crankcase have a ventilation system. This [system] must maintain the crankcase at slightly less than atmospheric pressure under light load conditions and recycle the blow-by gas back into the engine intake.

However, due to the constant circulation of the oil within the engine, along with the high speed movement of the crankshaft, an oil mist is also passed through the PCV system and into the intake. The oil is then either burned during combustion, or settles along the intake tract, causing a gradual build-up of residue inside the inlet path. For this reason many engine tuners choose to replace the PCV system with an oil catch can and breather filter which vents the blow-by gases directly to atmosphere and retains the oil in a small tank (or returns it to the sump), although this technically fails to meet most engine emission legislation.
Reference Here>>

The DynoValve takes the functioning of the mechanical Positive Crankcase Valve process from a spring loaded plug, door, or flap that is opened and closed through the variance in pressure from one side of the door to the other and regulates the opening and closing based upon electronic signals and computer commands that even out the performance and brings the process evolution to its maximum effectiveness.

Many claims as to the benefits of this computerized DynoValve system process center around two major areas. It is GREEN and it makes one's vehicle more fuel efficient.

The DynoValve is GREEN because it allows for a greater, more complete burning of the fuel and other materials in the cylinder of the engine due to the increased breath-ability of the engine itself. The carbon particulate matter from the fuel and the gasses from the crankcase being more effectively burned, along with the catalytic converter, knocks the emissions to a nearly un-measurable level.

The GREEN and fuel efficient Hummer H2 stretch limousine with DynoValve. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

The DynoValve is more fuel efficient due to the fact the fuel is being burned more thoroughly because of the computerized DynoValve system process, a greater level of power is delivered by the engine so the performance is enhanced and less gas pedal is required to achieve the same performance results. An increase in the vehicle's gas consumption performance in miles per gallon of 30% is not unrealistic. One limousine company has documented an increase in MPG performance by as much as 300% under some specific driving conditions and a 200% increase is common.

This begs the question "Can this be tested and an article be developed by one of the journalists who became aware of the DynoValve at MPG Track Day to show the results one might be able to achieve on an everyday pick-up truck?"

The F250 "test-bed". Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

The installation happened yesterday on a 1995 Ford F250 XLT, 7.5 litre/460 cubic inch V8 powered pick-up that had 55,488.6 original miles on it at the time of install. The truck pretty much averages 10 miles per gallon and there had been times the truck did achieve 12 mpg but these were times where one was traveling out of the San Bernardino Mountains and traveled on the freeway at reduced speeds.

It was discovered during the install procedure that there was a couple of breeches in the truck's vacuum hose array which had the pressure measuring around 17 lbs. (normal pressure is about 20 lbs.). After installation of the DynoValve and the replacement of the compromised hoses, the operation of the truck's PCV vacuum system was restored back to 20 lbs. (full slideshow here).

Installed DynoValve. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2010)

This posting will be the first of a series of articles spawned from the testing of Savi Corporation's computerized DynoValve system process installed on this writer's 1995 Ford F250 XLT, 7.5 liter/460 cubic inch V8 powered pick-up truck.

... notes from The EDJE

Paper chip medical diagnoses anyone can perform

Paper Lab - The prototype of the paper lab-on-a-chip looks similar to this earlier Whitesides Lab device, except that it would test blood instead of urine [CTRL-CLICK image to see "how it works" video]. Image Credit: Whitesides Lab

Paper chip medical diagnoses anyone can perform

Automating medical tests on the human body just got a lot easier. The process is similar to litmus paper testing but this medical lab on a paper chip can diagnose a wide array of human conditions for about one cent and anyone can perform the tests.

A Harvard University chemist has created a prototype "chip" technology out of paper that could help diagnose HIV, malaria, tuberculosis and other diseases for just a penny each time.

Litmus paper is handy as a general acid-base indicator, but you can get much more specific results if you use an indicator that has a more narrow test range or that offers a wider color range. Image Credit: About.com

According to CNN, a drop of blood on one side of the paper chip results in a colorful tree-like pattern that tells physicians or nurses whether a person has certain diseases. Water-repellent comic-book ink helps channel the blood into the tree-like pattern, as several layers of treated paper react to the blood and create the telling colors ... just as litmus paper would do, but this approach performs several diagnoses on one paper chip.

The developer/inventor of this testing breakthrough, George Whitesides, Harvard chemist, explained that the colors can also reveal the severity of a disease rather than just saying if a person has it or not. It's not the most sophisticated lab-on-a-chip created, but that's the point -- many of these could become cheap diagnostic tools for a developing world that often lacks physicians and clinics.

Mobile phones with cameras can be used to share the pattern results from the paper chip from anywhere cell service is available. Patients in Africa or Asia, where cellphones have become wildly popular ... even in the poorest regions, could send the photos on to medical centers for proper diagnosis.

For PROP. 8, Judge believes image means nothing

Original logo image, ProtectMarriage.com – Yes on 8, a Project of California Renewal - Image Credit: Case 2:10-cv-00132-LKK-DAD Document 1-2

For PROP. 8, Judge believes image means nothing

In the world of images and logos, a lot is made to impart the exact impression and nature of an effort or business enterprise through branding. The biggest area where branding gives its first impression comes from corporate colors and the graphic elements that are associated with the effort or business enterprise ... the logo.

XEROX Corporation comes to mind when one thinks of how important it becomes to protect an effort's graphic intellectual property. XEROX did not want the general public to grasp on to, and water down the meaning of their name when one referred to a photo-copy as a "XEROX" just as Kleenex did not want to have everyone refer to a paper wipe by their trade name, Kleenex. XEROX was mostly successful in their efforts through protecting the word XEROX in courts through lawsuits when the company saw the word used in a generic nature thereby watering down the definition and impact of the word, XEROX.

The same sensibility should govern cultural and political messages delivered through graphic intellectual property as well. A lawsuit has been brought upon The Courage Campaign Institute for using the graphic elements of the logo used by The Proposition 8 coalition.

A Judge in the California District Court did not believe the value of the graphic image and the identification brought through a logo graphic was worth defending on behalf of the effort to protect traditional marriage.

Rip-Off logo Image, The Courage Campaign Institute - Image Credit: Case 2:10-cv-00132-LKK-DAD Document 1-3

This excerpted and edited from The Sacramento Bee -

Prop. 8 backers sue foes over logo
By Denny Walsh - The Sacramento Bee - Published: Friday, Jan. 22, 2010 - 10:57 am

The opposing forces in California's war over gay marriage have found something else to squabble about: the gay-marriage camp's mockery of the traditional-marriage camp's logo.

The squabble is playing out in Sacramento in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Lawrence K. Karlton.

A stylized silhouette of a man and a woman and a boy and a girl, all with raised arms beneath a banner reading, "Yes On 8 Protect Marriage," is the logo of Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot initiative amending the state constitution to declare that marriage is only between a man and a woman.

Since the campaign on behalf of Proposition 8 began using the logo on Jan. 31, 2008, it has employed it in a number of ways, most recently on its Web site.

The Courage Campaign Institute began using an almost-identical logo – the adult figures both are wearing dresses and the banner reads "Prop 8 Trial Tracker" – last week on a Web site it launched for updates and commentary on the San Francisco trial of a federal constitutional challenge to the amendment.

The Proposition 8 coalition is defending the amendment in court because the state would not.

Soon after the Trial Tracker logo showed up, the Proposition 8 promoters cried foul.

The Courage Campaign argues the slightly altered logo is funny, a parody that is cloaked in free-speech protection.
----
ProtectMarriage.com – Yes on 8, a Project of California Renewal sued Tuesday in Sacramento federal court.

The lawsuit alleges that the defendants – nonprofit groups that support gay and lesbian marriage – have misappropriated the plaintiff's trademark in a way that is likely to confuse the public, and they "have never utilized the infringing logo in any way that would result in humor, a … requirement for a parody."

The plaintiff claims to have spent "a considerable amount of money in establishing the ProtectMarriage Trademark in the minds of customers as a source of conservative views and traditional family values."
----
Karlton sided with the defendants Wednesday in a nine-page order denying the plaintiff's motion for a temporary restraining order halting the use of the logo on prop8trialtracker.com.

The judge ruled that Courage Campaign's "use of the mark is protected under the First Amendment, in that the use is relevant to an expressive parody and … is not explicitly misleading."

"Any potential for confusion or misdirection is obviated by the images and text that uniformly accompany defendant's use of the mark, namely, photos of homosexual couples together with text explicitly endorsing homosexual marriage," said Karlton.
Reference Here>>

In California ... a vote that has expressed the democratic will of the people by nearly 70% and intellectual property are under assault along with the ability for people to grow food and keep jobs (irrigation water ordered to be turned off in the fields of the Sacramento Valley in order to protect a non-indigenous fish, the Delta Smelt) ... nothing is sacred, except, of course, the decisions of a single politically "progressive" Judge or the wishes of small, but politically "progressive" special interest groups.

CES: Wireless frequency shortage looms on the horizon

U. S. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski attended Columbia University and Harvard Law School with Obama, and the two remained close over the years. In July, Genachowski helped organize an Obama fundraiser in Washington, D.C., that raised at least $1.3 million. Genachowski has a sterling career background in the law. He clerked for U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Abner Mikva. He also clerked for two U.S. Supreme Court Justices, David Souter and William Brennan. He worked in Congress from 1985 to 1988 for then-Rep. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and was on the staff of the select committee on the Iran-Contra Affair during the Reagan administration. Image Credit: Mark Wilson

CES: Wireless frequency shortage looms on the horizon

United States Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski said an impending shortage of wireless spectrum in the U.S. will dampen future economic growth unless action is taken to fix the problem.

"Our data shows there's a looming crisis, not tomorrow, not next week, not next year, but at some point in the future," Genachowski told attendees at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas on Friday. "The record is pretty clear that we need to find more spectrum," he continued.

"The wireless infrastructure in the U.S. will be our platform for ongoing innovation and investment," he said.

One way to more efficiently use spectrum is to encourage a secondary market where licensees can easily rent out to other organizations spectrum that they may not be using. That's one idea that the U.S. Department of Justice recently recommended to the FCC in a filing encouraging the agency to move quickly to free up more spectrum.

The FCC has identified the limited supply of wireless spectrum as one of the factors that could limit the growth of broadband Internet services in the U.S., which could result in slower economic growth and job creation.

Wireless spectrum issues will be addressed, along with other factors affecting broadband access and services, in a national broadband plan that the FCC is now assembling. The plan was originally due to be completed next month, but the FCC received a 30-day extension from the U.S. Congress.

City Car Sharing Program, car2go, Pilots In United States

car2go smart fortwo cars are on the streets of Austin as part of the car2go car sharing program. Image Credit: Daimler car2go

City Car Sharing Program, car2go, Pilots In United States

Austin, Texas becomes the first location in the international expansion of an innovative solution to short term/short hop transportation use within a city environment.

The "car2go" concept rental program first placed into process in Ulm, Germany October 2008, proved to be a success with the project’s 200 vehicles being rented between 500 to 1,000 times per day. In Ulm, they are used by 15,000 registered customers, which equals more than 15 percent of the citizens who possess a driver’s license within the city. Although the system allows users to book a vehicle in advance, the pilot showed that 90 percent of the participants take advantage of the unique offer to use car2go on a spontaneous basis and by many for one-way trips.

Registered members will have to wave their card to a reader behind the windscreen to gain entry to the cars. Image Credit: Daimler car2go

The United States pilot will also launch with 200 Smart Cars in a joint partnership between the City of Austin and Daimler (Smart Car manufacturer) will initially see the "smart fortwo" vehicles made available 24/7 within the city to a select group of city employees and their relatives, with plans to increase the number of cars and have them registered accessible to all Austin residents and students in early 2010.

Personal PINs (Personal Identification Numbers) will keep track of each driver's usage. Image Credit: Daimler car2go

“The City of Austin is committed to identifying and implementing solutions to address the challenges associated with urban growth, mobility and environmental sustainability,” said Austin, Texas Mayor, Lee Leffingwell. “This pilot-program partnership between car2go and the City of Austin represents a significant step toward helping us alleviate congestion, reduce emissions and increase the use of public transportation.”

200 smart fortwo cars will take part in the car2go pilot throughout Austin, Texas. Image Credit: Daimler car2go

This excerpted and edited from gizmag -

car2go car sharing program hits the US
By Darren Quick, gizmag - 21:22 November 26, 2009 PST

The Austin pilot will see the city become the official headquarters of car2go in North America and is part of the company’s plans to extend the system internationally.

According to car2go, the car sharing market in the US is enjoying the highest growth rate in the world, which is why they made a very conscious decision to bring the concept to a North American city. One of the many reasons the Texan metropolis of 750,000 on the Colorado River [Austin] was selected as the first international site was due to its similarity to Ulm as a science-oriented and university city.

For the Austin pilot, the pick up and drop off area is limited to the greater downtown Austin area, which has an expansion of about 17 square miles where more than 60,000 employees work. Charges are not based on distance, but on time – with rates starting by the minute and competitive hourly or daily rates available for those needing longer rental periods. The rates are all-inclusive, with the cost of all fuel, maintenance and insurance taken care of.

There’s also no need to feed the meter with city-controlled parking fees waived thanks to a deal that sees car2go paying a usage fee to the City of Austin in the form of free driving minutes for employees driving on City business. But the loss of parking revenue should be offset by the reduction in fuel and operating costs for city employee vehicles.

”The goal of the Austin pilot project is to gather experience we can use to ensure the public launch of car2go in North America in 2010 is successful,“ says Nicholas Cole, CEO of car2go North America LLC. “In the second phase we will increase the number of cars in Austin and open the service to the public. We are also talking to a large number of cities in North America and Europe about additional rollouts of car2go.”
Reference Here>>

This may signal the changing face of Public Transportation. Personal use of a public owned car, through the use of Automatic Identification RFID proximity cards tailored to an audience-of-one!

Twitter Revolution: Interview With Warren Whitlock At BlogWorld

Twitter Revolution: Interview With Warren Whitlock At BlogWorld

BlogWorld & New Media Expo - While attending the conferences and exposition at the Las Vegas Convention Center, we, at Symblogogy, had the occasion to meet and interview renown marketing concepts author, Warren Whitlock.

His book, "Twitter Revolution", co-authored with Deb Micek, gives one insight to ways mico-blogging can aid and effect the way a business can use social media tools to advance their marketing objectives.

This excerpted and edited from Amazon.com -

Twitter Revolution
How Social Media and Mobile Marketing is Changing the Way We Do Business & Market Online
by Warren Whitlock (Author), Deborah Micek (Author)

NO RULES

The revolution is underway. The power of social media lies with the people who use tools like Twitter.com. You decide how to use your power.

Our goal is not to create rules to follow on Twitter. We simply want to give you the best tips, resources and strategies to guide your success on Twitter at an accelerated pace.

Our mission is to help you avoid trial and error as early adopters were forced to endure, and help you participate in one of the greatest communication revolution of our time.

This book was designed to help show everyone from the small business owner to the CEO of a large corporation; from work at home moms to politicians in Washington, DC how they can participate in the fastest growing social network and micro-blogging revolution taking place right now.

Join us on Twitter!

About the Author
Warren Whitlock is a #1 best selling author, publisher, and editor of the BestSellerAuthors.com blog focused on social media and marketing strategy.

Deb Micek is the author of the first published book on New Media Marketing, Secrets of Online Persuasion, Coach Deb ranks among bleeding edge experts and trendsetters - all while keeping things simple for her clients.
Reference Here>>

Please review video for further insights to the "Twitter Revolution"!

3D "Digit" Image Capture - A Better Fingerprint ID

FlashScan3D along with its research partner, the University of Kentucky, received a grant from the Science and Technology Directorate of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to develop non-contact fingerprint. Image Credit: FlashScan3D

3D "Digit" Image Capture - A Better Fingerprint ID

A new way to capture an image of a human fingerprint has emerged from the labs of the University of Kentucky. The University has been a leader in research in the use of structured light and its application to biometrics.

Within the law enforcement community, the preferred form of fingerprint is the “rolled” or “rolled equivalent” fingerprint. Image Credit: FlashScan3D

In partnership with a for-profit private company, FlashScan3D, the University of Kentucky has developed a non-contact, rolled equivalent scanner that capture 3-dimensional data of fingerprints and palm prints. No ink, and no potential for error due to a sloppy imprint process.

Structured light illumination's (SLI) core technology revolves around the use of projecting a known pattern of pixels (often grids or horizontal bars) on to a scene. The way that these deform when striking surfaces allows vision systems to calculate the depth and surface information of the objects in the scene enabling the scanner to capture 3-D fingerprint data and provide an accurate representation that far surpasses any other imaging technique.

So, Structured Light makes quantitative 3-D surface measurements that reveal actual ridge shape and depth. It is precisely this 3-D structure that gives a fingerprint its unique latent print characteristics and allows for the formation of minutiae. Capturing this data in 3-D allows for a more accurate representation of the true object, rather than a 2-D representation of a 3-D object, and ultimately yields more accurate data.

The 3D fingerprinting device works by projecting a series of striped lines wrapped around the finger. The process is called structured light illumination (SLI). The image of the lines of the fingers is then perfectly captured by a 1.4 megapixel camera at roughly 1,000 pixels per inch, thus automatically producing a detailed 3-dimensional model of the fingerprint ridges and valleys in proper places [ctrl-click to view animated image]. Image Credit: LiveScan3D

This excerpted and edited from LiveScan3D -

Features & Benefits

Speed of Capture:
FlashScan3D's device captures a rolled equivalent fingerprint in less than 1 seconds with no operator manipulation of the subject’s hand. This feature allows the device to be used in operations with significant time constraints or high volume locations such as airports or security checkpoints where capturing rolled equivalent prints would have been impossible in the past due to the operational constraints of the current generation of rolled equivalent scanners.

Image capture in a field application. Image Credit: FlashScan3D

3-D Data:
The unique characteristic of our system is that it is able to capture fingerprint data in 3-D. Unlike competing systems that acquire an image of what a fingerprint looks like, our system makes quantitative 3-D surface measurements that reveal actual ridge shape and depth. It is precisely this 3-D structure that gives a fingerprint its unique latent print characteristics and allows for the formation of minutiae. Capturing this data in 3-D allows for a more accurate representation of the true object , rather than a 2-D representation of a 3-D object, and ultimately yields more accurate data.

As fingerprint databases continue to grow exponentially both in the U.S. and abroad, more accurate data and matching will become increasingly necessary to aid in searches and correct identification of subjects.

10 Print Capture - FlashScan3D's non-contact 3-D technology captures 10 rolled equivalent prints plus 2 palm prints.Image Credit: FlashScan3D

Backwards Compatible:
Although our device captures data in 3-D, our flattening algorithm ensure that the device outputs data that is formatted to meet the ANSI/NIST ITL 1-2000 standard making it easily compared to and consistent with existing fingerprint databases. Data can be captured and stored in 3-D, while still being able to leverage the size and pervasiveness of existing 2-D databases or for latent print comparison.Flashscan could greatly increase airline safety

Non-Contact:
Using a Structured Light Illumination technique, which is an inherently non-contact scanning method, we are able to produce higher quality images with better minutiae detection results since there is no contact with the scanner to distort the image. Our images are more consistent and repeatable since there are no varying amounts of pressure when in contact with the sensor. In high volume environments a non-contact scanner is advantageous because there are no latent prints or residue left on the scanner that need to be cleaned or could generate noise for subsequent scans. Since contact with the imaging sensor is not required, it allows the device to be completely sealed, preventing dirt, sand or dust from impacting the scanner.

Automated:
Our device is designed to function independently of an operator. The subject simply positions their finger above the sensor and the system to captures the fingerprint. The quality of the print is no longer tied to the skill of the operator manipulating the subject’s hand as is the case today. This feature reduces training and staffing costs, eliminate any possibility for operator error, as well as produces a more consistent, high quality print. The fact that the device is automated also opens up the possibility to use the system for unattended access control.

Flashscan yields better treatment of worn or damaged printsBetter Treatment of Damaged or Worn Prints: A combination of our 3-D and non-contact imaging technique yields better treatment of worn or damaged prints. Within the realm of non-contact print capture, structured light techniques have the advantage of capturing the surface independent of how smooth it is.

Go/No Go – Real Time Quality Assessment:
Our system provides immediate feedback to the subject/operator as to the quality of the captured fingerprints. If something goes wrong with the scan, the subject is notified to re-scan. This real time quality assessment feature helps reduce the failure to enroll rates due to images of poor quality.

Self Calibrating:
To ensure that the image sensors stay calibrated we position a calibration pattern in the scanner, such that the cameras can automatically calibrate themselves prior to each scan, preventing performance drift and eliminating any need for manual calibration. In the event the device becomes damaged or is in some way incapable of calibrating itself, the system will alert the operator with a visual indicator.

Impervious to Sweat/Oil: Our structured light imaging technique is not affected by discolorations in the skin and is resistant to the specularity produced by shiny surfaces caused by sweat or oil.

Liveness detection/Built-in Anti Spoofing Capabilities:
A 3-D system is inherently much harder to fool by deceptive means simply because it is much harder to re-create the 3-D characteristics of a fingerprint using a dummy or fake finger. Because we capture data in 3-D we can test for curvature and ridge modulation to prevent the use of a simple flat photographic pattern.
Reference Here>>

Bing Reduces Its Ping

Bing Reduces Its Ping
Bing Records First Monthly Decline Since Launch

Bing's monthly market share in the US and globally has fallen for the first time since its launch, according to analysis conducted by web analytics firm StatCounter. The firm's research arm StatCounter Global Stats finds that Bing's share of the US search market in September fell by over one percentage point to 8.51% from 9.64% in August. There was little consolation for Microsoft from the performance of its new partner, Yahoo! which also declined, to 9.40% from 10.50%.

"The trend has been downwards for Bing since mid August," commented Aodhan Cullen, CEO, StatCounter. "The wheels haven't fallen off but the underlying trend must be a little worrying for Microsoft."

Google was the beneficiary from the decline of its main rival, increasing by more than two percentage points to 80.08% in September from 77.83% the previous month.

Globally, Bing also declined slightly to 3.25% from 3.58% - a trend mirrored by Yahoo! which fell to 4.37% from 4.84%. Google breached the 90% mark to 90.54% - similar to its global market share a year previously (90.53%).

Data is based on an analysis of 4.6 billion search engine referring clicks (1.1 billion from the US) which were collected during the period September 2008 to September 2009 from the StatCounter network of over three million websites.

StatCounter, which provides free website traffic analysis, is one of the largest web analytics firms in the world monitoring in excess of ten billion pageloads per month.

US Search Market

Date	Bing	Yahoo!	Bing & Yahoo! Combined	Google
Sep 2008	5.71%*	12.57%	18.28%*	79.36%
May 2009	7.81%*	10.99%	18.80%*	78.72%
June 2009	8.23%*	11.04%	19.27%*	78.48%
July 2009	9.41%	10.95%	20.36%	77.54%
Aug 2009	9.64%	10.50%	20.14%	77.83%
Sep 2009	8.51%	9.40%	17.91%	80.08%

* Market share figure includes MSN Search and Live Search

(ht: StatCounter)

The Photoshop Fifty - Crafted Images Of Our Age

Fifa Under 20 World Cup – Toronto Image Credit: graphicdesignblog.org

The Photoshop Fifty - Crafted Images Of Our Age

This posting from Graphic Design Blog was so interesting ... I decided to post the whole thing here.

Many really do not know exactly how good computer graphics programs that manipulate images are. Great manipulations or manipulations that are mistakes, it makes little difference because the average person may sense something might be a little peculiar but most who view the image, see the larger picture, and move on.

Do not believe what you see in this mashed up image/symbol world!

This excerpted and edited from Graphic Design Blog -

50 Photoshopped Advertising Designs - The Wonders and Blunders!!
Charlie B. Johnson

Interesting ads brilliantly convey a brand’s message to its targeted audience and potential clients. Moreover, Photoshop techniques are used nowadays to make these ads more appealing and expressive. But, be careful…. Photoshop techniques can make the print ads look creative, funny, intelligent and at times a DISASTER. It does not only add more colors to your product advertisements but if used carelessly it can harm your brand’s strong image. Using high quality Photoshop techniques, print ads can be turned out into big wonders but have you ever seen Photoshop blunders…check some here.

Don’t forget to tell which of these you enjoyed the most….Wonders or the Blunders?

Photoshop Blunders:

1) Dust Jeans - Let’s Hold Hands: The tagline suggests the gesture of holding hands but unfortunately the person, to whom other hand belongs, is missing in the picture.

2) Tiger Woods in Washington Post: The image shows a clear blunder with Phil Mickelson is standing in front of Tiger Woods and both players looking in opposite direction for the same ball.

3) Garnier: On a closer look of this Garnier Hair Color ad you will notice that the lady is not holding the cherries and the hands are shopped in.

4) Torchwood: The image is a clear blunder as both hands are either right or left.

5) Pepsi Photoshop cans: The reflection is off. It should be straight-down parallel with the can, but actually leans forward.

6) Lexar 8GB: The reflection of the SD card has "4GB" as the memory, not 8GB like in the picture.

7) Azoogle: You can easily witness that the “Big Amount” check has been shopped in, as the check is missing in the reflection of car and man’s shadow.

8 ) Braking The Cycle: The back wheel of the cycle is half gone but a failed attempt has been made to make it appear as a complete cycle.

9) Unwigged & Unplugged: Two hands on the guy’s shoulders, both belong to the guy on the right somehow.

10) Paris-Match: You can only see the legs of a man behind Sawkozy who was later chopped out from the picture.

11) StarGate: An additional lady face has been shopped on the right end.

12) INFDaily: I don’t think I need to point out an additional hand at Beyonce’s back.

13) Studier in Halle:

14) Formoza:

15) Nestle Loops:

16) Street Hear:

17) TuttoSport:

Wonders of Advertisement Designs: Talking about advertising designs, you always expect some great ideas and concepts to sparkle your eyes. Here are some vibrant, punchy and conceptually strong print ads, which you will regret if miss them.

Architect’07 Fair – Thai house hair

Johnson & Johnson, Sundown

Clinic All Clear – Smoke

Fifa Under 20 World Cup – Toronto

McCormick – Chicken

Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Natural Mineral Water – Watermelon

Onitsuka Tiger – Shoe

PlayStation 2-Death by Ninja

SPI Insulating Windows – Ice

WWF- Homeless Polar bear

Yamaha X-City – Elephant

Fly Emirates:

Tiger:

Green Peace:

Coca Cola:

Dunkin Donuts:

Ray Ban:

Godiva:

Nokia:

M&M’s - Personalized M&M’s:

7up:

Lifebuoy Handwash:

Nike:

Ashtanga Yoga Center:

WMF Knives:

Volkswagon:

Event Brand:

Neonic Evolution Limited CCTV:

Resource Box: http://weirdnewsfiles.com/weird-photos/weird-photoshop/best-bad-photoshop-mistakes/ http://digg.com/d312yYW http://bestphotoshoptutorials.net/2009/03/30/30-photoshopped-images-in-advertising-design/ http://designm.ag/inspiration/advertising-design-showcase/ http://psd.tutsplus.com/articles/web/40-brilliantly-photoshopped-print-ads/ http://www.graphicmania.net/most-amazing-advertisements-ideas/

Reference Here>>