Tech articles

New algorithm in Google Street View beats the CAPTCHA

In order to provide users with accurate directions on their maps, Google developed an algorithm that can recognize he numbers of the houses that appear in their street view images with high level of accuracy. However, the same algorithm could be applied in reading CAPTCHAs very precisely.

For some it is a safety need. For others , it is a pain in the heart of mankind. Indeed, the CAPTCHA has a little of both. Although we can not let the malicious bots sow chaos in the Web, the average user accumulates several defeats against a system that seems to spit a mixture of Chinese and Martian . Many methods have been developed to avoid CAPTCHA challenges, with varying degrees of success, but what we have here today is not even the CAPTCHA as a priority.The story begins with Google Street View . If you need an exact address, Google is doing everything possible to deliver it with maximum precision. Teams of Street View and reCAPTCHA developed a new algorithm that reads the numbers on the houses directly from the images, and from these data, the right direction is calculated.

We are facing an extraordinary example of visual recognition , which involved an advanced neural network . When working with regular Street View images, the algorithm has an accuracy of 90 percent . When applied on the “Street View House Numbers Dataset” from the University of Stanford(used in training the neural network) , the number rises to 96 percent , and to recognize individual digits, is 97.8 percent . Still, Google decided in their study that the algorithm takes on some of the more complex examples generated by reCAPTCHA . The result was a chilling 99.8 percent accuracy.I’m not sure that a human can match such performanc.: Google shared in its blog four of the reCAPTCHA that the algorithm recognized, and being honest, I barely managed to read two of them.

Thanks to this “side effect” , Google and the reCAPTCHA team may reinforce the classical verification system. They found that distort text is no longer sufficient, and if it is possible to achieve this level of accuracy in an automated way. The likelihood that someone will develop the equivalent of the neural network to break the entire Google’s CAPTCHA structure are very low, but there is a possibility that a group of intelligent individuals can build a machine to beat it.

April 19, 2014
Google introduces real Malware scanning for Android

Google is rolling out a new update for Android , which means that the system itself detects malware in apps , according to the reports of ” The Verge” .

The company says that the update will strengthen Verify Apps service to ensure that the apps , both from home PC and from Android Market are safe for the user.

Previously , Verify Apps only scanned apps when they were downloaded for the first time , but not regularly . But after this update, the android scanner will regularly scan the potential threats and whenever the Users who make use of the update apps will be warned if they are in possession of a potentially unsafe app .

The new update should be seen as an extra security for the users who downloads the apps other than the official websites .According to Google ” less than 0.18 android app install faced the problem of potenital malware “

April 18, 2014
Amazon first Smartphone with Infrared Cameras and 3D Display

The first mobile phone from the U.S. Amazon will be a smartphone powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and has 2GB of RAM. The phone will run on an Android version that will be having significant changes from Amazon.

According to the website’s sources , the phone will have a 4.7 inch screen with a resolution of 720p HD. The screen is thus both smaller and lower resolution than the flagship models from competitors like HTC and Samsung. There are pictures of the phone from bgr.com . But beyond these rather common specifications , Amazon has reportedly decided to include a little wow effect.

According to bgr , the phone will be having a 3D display that does not require special glasses . To operate this function , the phone has four infrared cameras in each corner of the phone to keep an eye on the position of the user’s eyes . Amazon is reportedly in the process of recruiting developers to help, make new apps for the phone that are able to take advantage of 3D features .

Last week, The Wall Street Journal also reported that Amazon’s first mobile phone to be announced in June and will be available in the third quarter.

FEATURES

1. Display – 4.7-inch 720p , 3D display ( Without using glasses)

2. Qualcomm Snapdragon processor ( Version no. not revealed )

3. Ram – 2GB

4. Operating System – Highly Customized

5. New Apps for 3D display

6. Camera – 5 front facing camera + 1 Rear Camera ( 4 are infrared Camera )

April 18, 2014
Kepler-186f : The most ‘earth like planet’ ever discovered

The planet hunt has become much more precise in recent months, but the priority of the experts remains focused on those exoplanets which have similar to Earth conditions. One of the most recent discoveries is Kepler-186f ,which is just ten percent larger than our planet, and for the moment, is the strongest candidate to have liquid water on its surface.

The discovery of new exoplanets has the potential to go far beyond the scientific interest. Have you ever wondered how humanity would react if it is established that there is life out there? Now imagine what will be the new religious and philosophical concepts, but the world of science is only looking for the confirmation of what seems inevitable, at least from a mathematical point of view. The number of exoplanets discovered so far is very important, and several of them have properties which allow, at least in theory, the existence of liquid water. One is Kepler-186f .Its star Kepler-186 is a red dwarf that is about 500 light years away (on average) , but completely unattainable for us. Kepler-186f has other four companions, but there are several reasons why this new exoplanet stands out above the rest.

Firstly, it is only 10 percent larger than Earth, so it has been ruled out that it is a gas planet. Then, within the so-called “habitable zone” , a bit near the outer edge. Finally, the radiation flux that Kepler-186f receive is a third of that reaches the Earth. The numbers are logical when you consider that its mother is a red dwarf star, but that level of radiation would be low enough to allow the presence of liquid water. Even so, life not only need water but also energy. Perhaps there is some form of photosynthesis evolved in Kepler-186f , but that is just my imagination.

Thomas Barclay , an astrophysicist at the Ames Research Center of NASA , believes that Kepler-186f will not be the last exoplanet discovered with these parameters. It has not been found before, does not necessarily mean that it’s rare, and a better search with tools such as TESS satellite to be launched in 2017, and the James Webb Space Telescope, which will hopefully be operational in October 2018 will bring many such planets to the list.

April 18, 2014
M3D Micro: An affordable easy to use 3D printer

The 3D printers are devices that use molten plastic(or other materials too!) to create small solid and three-dimensional objects. But still no technology company has offered a homely and accessible model, although this is changing with the announcement of the Company Micro M3D .

This technology that years ago seemed science fiction is already operating in various sectors of engineering companies in various parts of the world. But still no technology company has offered a model which can be used at homes. That is changing with the announcement of the Company Micro M3D . The Micro is a small box of about twenty inches square with a print area of sixteen square inches.

It connects via USB to any PC or Mac and is calibrated and leveled automatically, eliminating the most complex processes in a 3D printer professional. What can you do with the Micro ? Small three-dimensional sculptures of plastic of different colors, which can be quite useful for engineers, architects or fans who want a collection of dolls from your favorite video games. The Micro M3D uses micro filament coils which cost about twelve dollars in the U.S. and let you make between thirty and forty of these sculptures.

The M3D Micro is perfect for beginners and experts alike, as all one has to do is to connect the printer, download or create the model to print, print run, and watch as the machine starts to create the sculpture. If you are interested you can contribute to the their funding campaign in kickstarter here to make sure you get one for $ 250 or $ 900. The delivery date is in the second half of the year although it sounds too optimistic for such a small company.

April 18, 2014