XR and AI Are at It Again, Bringing New Experiences to the Tech World

Emerging Tech Roundup — November 13

The Quantious team’s top picks for timely trending news in the tech world.

This week in tech: Scientist use VR to explain climate change, Facebook releases a set of design recommendations for VR developers, VR highlights what it’s like to be an immigrant crossing a border, AI accurately predicts meat freshness, Apple suspends work for a supplier, artists use AR to design murals, and the government looks to regulate tech companies.

Virtual Reality Forests Could Help Understanding of Climate Change

(Phys, November 12)

To help people better understand climate change, scientists at Pennsylvania State University used VR technology to create a modern-day forest. Using VR goggles, the viewer walks through a simulated forest and gets to experience the impact climate change would have on a forest by the year 2050. Researchers collected their data from sources like vegetation and ecological models, and they mirrored forests found in Wisconsin for their virtual ecosystem. A video of the virtual experience is now available on the university’s YouTube channel.

Facebook Issues New Accessibility Guidelines for VR Developers

(Engadget, November 11)

More VR content may soon become available since Facebook recently released new accessibility guidelines for VR developers. The guidelines focus on areas of design like movement, audio, and interactions, and they will be used alongside other technical suggestions previously released by the company. According to Facebook, the guidelines are not mandatory, but are strongly recommended. The company even released an instructional video on their Oculus YouTube channel to help encourage developers to implement as many recommendations as possible.

This Virtual Reality Experience Gives Visitors a Firsthand Look at the Lives of Refugees

(303 Magazine, November 10)

VR experience, “Carne y Arena,” allows viewers to experience what it’s like being an immigrant crossing the border between the U.S. and Mexico. The 20-minute VR exhibition is available until January 30th at Stanley Marketplace in Aurora, Colorado. In the experience, users walk alongside fellow immigrants through a virtual desert and are approached by border patrol agents. In addition, participants wear backpacks to really immerse themselves in the experience. Tickets are available and range from $35 to $55 depending on the date and time chosen.

AI-Powered ‘Electronic Nose’ to Sniff Out Meat Freshness

(Phys, November 10)

A new electronic nose that can assess meat freshness is being developed by researchers at Nanyang Technological University of Singapore. The nose’s AI algorithm can accurately predict the freshness of different types of meats such as packaged fish, chicken, and beef. The system senses the gases the meat releases as it ages, and a smartphone app allows users to scan barcode readers that have been placed inside the meat’s packaging. Within 30 seconds, the app lets users know how fresh the meat is before purchasing. With the newly developed e-nose and its supposed 98.5 percent accuracy rate, researchers hope to reduce the amount of food being wasted within society.

Apple Suspends New Business With Iphone Supplier That Used Students on Night Shifts

(CNN, November 09)

One of Apple’s Taiwanese suppliers, Pegatron, is suspended from new work due to violating Apple’s labor code. Several weeks ago, Apple discovered that the labor code had been violated on Pegatron’s campuses in the cities of Shanghai and Kunshan, China. Both campuses had some student employees working nights and overtime, which is against Apple’s rules. Pegatron claimed that they took immediate disciplinary actions to rectify the violation internally once it was brought to their attention. Despite their efforts, Apple refuses to lift the suspension until all required corrective action is completed.

This Stunning High-Tech Mural Uses AR to Celebrate Badass Women in Science

(Fast Company, November 06)

AR technology has caught the attention of the art world and is being used to design murals around the country. An AR-enabled mural that focuses on women in STEM is being placed on a wall in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, New York. The mural, “A Cluster of Enigmas,” is the first in a collection of ten, all belonging to a series known as Findings. Each mural has its own scientific purpose and is being created with the help of a scientific partner.

The Government Is Going After Big Tech — and ‘Medium Tech’ Is Bracing for Impact

(The Hustle, November 05)

The government has turned their attention to big tech companies. Both major political parties have intentions of setting regulation laws, which could possibly make tech firms more liable for what users post or say on their profiles. The sudden push for regulations comes from the criticism the companies are receiving around how they recently handled numerous political posts circulating on their platforms. Over the years, tech companies have been protected by the 1996 Communications Decency Act, Section 230, making them not liable for their users’ actions. Now, the government is looking to do a “sweep” to the document in order to change the rules found in Section 230. Tech companies are responding by forming a coalition to lobby against the government’s possible changes.