Latest news with #augmentedReality
Washington Post
4 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Meta is working on a high-tech helmet for the U.S. military
Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg became a billionaire by connecting people with their friends to share photos and memories. Now he wants to also connect U.S. soldiers on the battlefield to help them defeat their enemies. The company announced on Thursday that it will work with defense technology start-up Anduril to offer the U.S. military and its allies technology for soldiers involving augmented reality and artificial intelligence software.
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Meta Teams Up With Anduril to Make AI-Powered Military Products
Meta Platforms Inc. is partnering with defense contractor Anduril Industries Inc. to develop new products for the US military, including an artificial intelligence-powered helmet with virtual and augmented reality features. Anduril is working with Meta 'to design, build, and field a range of integrated XR products that provide warfighters with enhanced perception and enable intuitive control of autonomous platforms on the battlefield,' according to a company blog post published Thursday. Palmer Luckey, the co-founder of Anduril, also co-founded Oculus VR, the gaming headset company he sold to Meta in 2014.
Globe and Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
PopStream Launches Desktop AR Broadcasting Platform for Windows Users Worldwide
PopStream, a Finnish-based technology company, has officially launched its augmented reality broadcasting platform for Windows users globally. The software enables content creators, educators, and professionals to integrate augmented reality elements directly into their video feeds without the need for post-production or additional hardware PopStream installs as a virtual camera on any Windows computer and is compatible with all major video platforms, including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, YouTube Live, OBS, and Twitch. By leveraging AR marker technology and playlist scheduling, the software allows users to display banners, animations, or sponsored content directly onto real-world environments using just a standard webcam. The demand for real-time content personalization and brand monetization has rapidly increased with the rise of livestreaming, virtual meetings, and the global creator economy. PopStream's platform provides a seamless solution that works out of the box, removing technical barriers that have traditionally limited AR broadcasting to enterprise studios or post-production workflows. The software includes features such as marker-based ad triggering, playlist-based content rotation, and full resolution output support. PopStream's real-time functionality gives users full control over their on-screen experience while maintaining compatibility with their preferred streaming tools. PopStream was developed by a team of engineers and AR specialists in Finland. The company's leadership includes Founder & CEO Piruz Chaman Afruz (Bruce Afruz) and Managing Partner Talat Erden. The technology was built with a focus on performance, simplicity, and the growing need for creators to monetize their content through visual experiences. The release marks a milestone for the company as it expands its product offerings for the creator economy and digital communications sector. With its headquarters in Helsinki, PopStream aims to support content professionals across industries by delivering intuitive, professional-grade AR tools that integrate into existing workflows. The PopStream desktop application is now available for free download on Windows via the company's website. The macOS version is expected to follow in the near future. For more information about PopStream and its features, visit below. Media Contact Company Name: PopStream Contact Person: Piruz Chaman Afruz (Bruce Afruz) Email: Send Email Country: Finland Website:
Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Is Outsourcing Confidence The Next Big AI Trend?
AI Coaching In Real Time? It's Here 'Even Dead, I'm The Hero…' These posthumous words from Tony Stark ring out from beyond the grave in Spider-Man: Far From Home. The acronym also spells out EDITH. That's the name for the AI-successor to JARVIS, the super intelligence Iron Man once used to face off against evildoers like Thanos. EDITH arrives as a gift to Peter Parker in the form of augmented-reality (AR) glasses. But just how powerful are they? When a rival named Brad threatens to send a compromising pic of Parker to MJ, his crush, Parker orders EDITH to 'Take him out.' The AI companion takes the order literally. EDITH launches a deadly missile strike on their school bus, nearly assassinating Brad until Parker stops the drone attack. Romantic dalliances aside, EDITH grants Peter control over satellite networks, surveillance tools, and, of course, weaponized drones. As if Parker didn't already enjoy amazing perks any high schooler can only dream about. Wearing EDITH spectacles, he suddenly possesses a god-like interface. It responds to voice commands, doing Parker's bidding, not unlike a magic wand from another iconic cultural artifact—Harry Potter. Yet beneath the superhero escapade lies a deeper fantasy now come to life: that we can somehow access life's cheat codes. This is the promise behind Cluely AI, a smart guidance platform that gives you hints in real-time to navigate existence with greater confidence—like you're forever wearing AR glasses. Yet unlike EDITH, Cluely AI didn't come from the fevered mind of a billionaire playboy/inventor. It emerged from something far more banal—the alleged academic cheating of 21-year-old former Columbia University student Chungin 'Roy' Lee. 'Roy Lee's journey began with a bold idea: an AI tool to give job candidates an edge in interviews. While at Columbia, he developed Interview Coder, which provided real-time answers during coding interviews, leading to his suspension for academic dishonesty. Rather than retreating, Lee doubled down, rebranding his vision as Cluely, a versatile AI assistant that whispers answers during high-stakes situation,' according to Medium. Rather than retreat from this ignoble setback, Lee doubled down on his initial vision. His fledgling startup soon received several million dollars in seed funding. It also attracted significant attention—some good, some not so good—thanks to its bold approach to AI-assisted performance. As NDTV describes it, 'Cluely's AI operates undetected in a hidden browser window, providing real-time assistance during exams, sales calls, and interviews. The company justified its approach by drawing parallels to calculators and spellcheck, arguing that tools initially deemed as cheating can become normalized over time.' One of the more controversial aspects to Cluely AI is the company launch video starring Lee using his application on a date. Lee posted it to X (formerly Twitter) with this evocative description: 'Cluely is out. Cheat on everything.' For those who haven't yet seen the video, it's set in a posh restaurant. Lee sits across from his date. The romantic encounter takes an unexpected twist when it becomes clear Cluely AI is feeding Lee information in real time—much like a pair of EDITH AR glasses could inform Parker of nearby dangers. Unbeknownst to his date, Lee receives pointers from a hidden overlay. Insightful nuggets include information about her interests. Reminiscent of Roxanne, in which the more eloquent Steve Martin feeds romantic quips to a tongue-tied dolt, Cluely AI suggests responses to questions to win her over. Despite Cluely AI's sagacious advice things still threaten to go south when his date questions Lee about his age. (Lee pretends to be 30—only to be called out by their server, who demands to see I.D.) But even then Cluely AI swoops in, coming up with yet another seemingly plausible lie. Naturally, pundits are alarmed by the technology. Some have likened it to a Black Mirror episode, imagining a future world where anyone can 'cheat' their way into romantic success through underhanded technology. For his part, Lee's company has argued the tools are but a sign of the times as more people rely on sophisticated AI tools like ChatGPT for everything from essays to relationship advice. Regardless of your own take on Cluely AI, it's undeniable that the technology fulfills a core human need—the urge for certainty. Returning to the romance department, it smacks of so many dating strategy books like No More Mr. Nice Guy by Dr. Robert Glover and Models: Attract Women Through Honesty by Mark Manson. Whether it's Roxanne or a stack of romantic self-help manuals, there's something universal about the wish to stop second-guessing ourselves. To put our best foot forward, especially when the stakes are high. To invoke yet another pop cultural reference, it reminds me of the Seinfeld episode 'The Café.' In it, George convinces Elaine to take an IQ test for him to impress his girlfriend. As you can guess, things don't go well with his scheme. Again, so many simple yet familiar frustrations stem from the need to put ourselves out there better. To be perceived as smarter. Funnier. More interesting. To this end, Cluely AI assists with many performance boosts using AI. Let's go over one right now to glimpse such capabilities. Picture yourself on a live sales call on Zoom. You really want to close this person, but you struggle to find the right words to say to your prospect. In this case, Cluely AI offers real-time suggestions, including advice you on tone, pacing, even delivery to clinch the deal. Faced with this growing capability, some may worry that future generations will grow ever more dependent upon such tools, especially socially. Already, we live in a world where humans increasingly outsource many life and work skills and activities that people once did to AI from navigation to hiring decisions. Contemplating the issue from a more macro standpoint, AI is increasingly blurring the lines around what constitutes academic honesty. Just this month, The New York Times published an article on the prevalence of professors using ChatGPT on campuses. Reflecting on these developments, we'd do well to remember one final universal human need: to be more than ourselves. It underlies so many of the Marvel movies starring Peter Parker and Tony Stark. And though it's natural to wish to be a superhero with immense powers, life's real challenge isn't just developing greater capabilities. It's wrestling with our own limitations. And remembering who we really are when the glasses come off.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Moving from LA to Colorado was supposed to be temporary; then I got pregnant. We needed the support system we have here.
We moved from Los Angeles to Colorado in 2020 and thought our move would be temporary. When we found out I was pregnant, we started to wonder whether staying would be better for us. In the end, we stayed in Colorado. We love living near our parents, and we're less stressed here. In 2020, my husband and I packed up our apartment in Los Angeles and drove to Colorado, where we'd both grown up. I'm a screenwriter, and my husband works at an augmented reality startup — both unpredictable, high-pressure jobs. LA had always made sense professionally, even when it stressed us out personally and financially. Since moving to the West Coast in our early 20s, we had never been out of LA for more than a few weeks at a time, but with the rise of remote work, it felt like the right moment. We thought we'd be there for a year at most — long enough to do some hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter. It would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be close to family and the splendor of the Rocky Mountains for more than just a quick weekend or holiday trip. But when I got pregnant, we started asking ourselves some big questions. What would it be like to raise a child in LA? Could we keep up with the cost of housing, childcare, and healthcare? Given the tumult in the entertainment industry and the uncertainty of a tech startup, could we rely on steady work? We crunched the numbers. We could do it, but we'd have to make some sacrifices. A small apartment. No margin for overspending. Our baby's college fund or our retirement funds, but not both. And paying for daycare was out of the question, which meant one of us would have to quit our job to be a stay-at-home parent. Was the proximity worth it, and was the stress? And the biggest question of all: When we thought about raising our family, what image came to mind? Then, when we broke the news about my pregnancy to our respective parents, their unbridled joy confirmed what we had already been feeling. We wanted to raise our baby surrounded by that joy. So we signed an 18-month lease for an apartment in Denver. The cost of living was still high, and both of our careers remained unpredictable. But we had something invaluable: support. Two sets of grandparents, both within driving distance. When our son was born, they showed up with enchiladas and apple pie, with confident arms willing to rock the baby to sleep at four in the morning, with the tender blessings of someone we wholly trusted, saying, "Go lie down, I've got it." There were days I worried we'd taken a step back by not returning to LA. That we were pressing pause on our careers, especially for me as a screenwriter, with the industry so concentrated in California. But as the newborn haze began to lift, I started to see it differently. In many creative fields, especially as a freelancer, there's no HR department, no paid parental leave, no road map. A startup doesn't offer much certainty, either. What we needed — more than a city, more than a scene — was a support system. This isn't a story of everything magically working out. Daycare in Denver can be prohibitively expensive, but we've figured out a childcare schedule that works for us and the grandparents so we can do our jobs. Work opportunities ebb and flow, and the hustle is much harder all these miles away. And truthfully, I miss the momentum of LA — the energy, the industry, the hunger. But then I step outside and gaze in wonder at the mountains on the horizon. I see my baby's tiny hand wrapped around my dad's finger, and I feel it in my chest: this is the life we couldn't afford in LA — not just financially but emotionally. We get to raise our child knowing he will have a close relationship with his grandparents. We're not stretched to the point of breaking. We haven't had to choose between our work and our child. We get to be present. That kind of presence — that kind of joy — is worth everything. Read the original article on Business Insider
