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Jul 29, 2026 · via swoknews.com
Czech police say secunet cuts border processing times under EES Having deployed biometric technology from Germany’s secunet in adapting to the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), border police in the Czech Republic have confirmed that it minimizes waiting times for travellers in spite of the more complex EES processes. According to a release, secunet’s automated border control systems integrate seamlessly with the EES, capturing biometric facial images at self-service kiosks to automatically verify travellers’ identities. It quotes Petr Malovec, deputy director for the Foreign Police Service directorate with the Police of the Czech Republic, who says the Czech border police were “well prepared for the EES roll-out, and the launch went very smoothly.” It was important, Malovec says, that “despite the additional workload, our staff could continue to focus on their core tasks and that travellers would continue to enjoy a pleasant travel experience. We have achieved these objectives too, and secunet’s solutions have played a key role in helping us do so.” Made in the EU, for the EU Czech police have been using secunet’s easygate border control systems since before the introduction of the EES in April 2026. Per the release, the force relies on “a comprehensive package of integrated solutions from the secunet border gears portfolio, such as secunet easytower facial recognition cameras and the secunet easyserver central server component.” Early roll out of secunet’s tech means police already have the data from live operations to show significant reductions in processing time, which averages 24 seconds per person. In addition to efficiency, the force also touts secunet’s European pedigree as a plus for European digital sovereignty. EES went live in April 2026 in all states in the Schengen Area. It requires third-country nationals to be registered with a facial image and four fingerprints at Schengen land, sea and
Jul 29, 2026 · via biometricupdate.com
Scientists created an AI system that uses facial recognition and real-time, touchscreen testing to automate cognitive studies of capuchin monkeys in the wild. The American Journal of Primatology published a proof-of-concept for the novel method - dubbed CapuchinAI - developed by researchers at Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology. The article provides a roadmap for the first scalable, systematic way to evaluate and monitor the cognitive abilities of wild primates. The primate brain didn't evolve in a lab, it evolved in complex, competitive environments. Yet primate cognition is rarely studied in the wild because the experimental control needed to measure cognition is difficult in unpredictable environments." Marcela Benítez, Emory assistant professor of anthropology and senior author of the paper "CapuchinAI" integrates a compact, battery-powered computing system into a field-research platform. The system identifies an approaching monkey, presents a learning task tailored to that individual on a touchscreen, and automatically delivers a food reward if the monkey performs the task correctly. Field tests of the prototype in the Taboga Forest Reserve of Costa Rica found that CapuchinAI identifies individual capuchins with 97% accuracy, following training on still images and videos. Wild capuchins rapidly habituated and learned touchscreen-reward associations, demonstrating that the system provides a scalable field method for cognitive testing, while also mapping individual differences across tasks. 'The minds behind the personalities' "This project builds on the legacy of Frans de Waal," says Federico Sánchez Vargas, first author of the paper and an Emory PhD student of anthropology. De Waal pioneered studies of animal cognition as director of Emory's Living Links Center for the Advanced Study of Ape and Human Evolution, while also writing best-selling books that helped popularize the field. He passed away in 2024. In addition to lab-based behavioral experiments, de Waal "gave us intimate, beautiful portraits of
Jul 29, 2026 · via news-medical.net
Aurora, Illinois, City Council honors students who place second in international tech competition Aurora, Illinois, is celebrating six students who won second place in an international tech competition.Aurora, Illinois, is celebrating six students who won second place in an international competition. Aurora Mayor John Laesch honored the students from Team Timeless' achievement in the International Lego League competition during a City Council meeting this week. In the First Lego League competition, young people engage in hands-on STEM experiences by solving real-world problems through coding, engineering, and research. From June 11 to June 14, the team competed against more than 100 others last month in Massachusetts. The team is composed of seventh-graders Adhrit Chavali, Ananya Kovvuri, Aditya Kovvuri, Jaivarshan Annamalai, and Girivarshan Annamalai, and third-grader Siddharth Chavali. Team Timeless developed an AI-powered application that uses image recognition to help archaeologists identify stone artifacts. Team Timeless earned the Champion's Finalist Award, which is considered one of the highest honors available in the competition. Before advancing to the international tournament, Team Timeless prevailed over 510 other Illinois teams to represent the state o the international stage. "We chose to solve a real challenge faced by archeologists," said team member Adhrit. "We developed an innovative app to help identify artifacts more quickly and accurately, making the process easier for archaeologists, museums and researchers around the world." The application was featured at the Native American Hall at the Elgin Public Museum to demonstrate how artificial intelligence can both support archaeology and preserve history.
Jul 29, 2026 · via cbsnews.com
State rejects nightlife tsar’s push for extended retail, end to ID scans Updated ,first published The Queensland government has ignored key recommendations to allow extended retail, scrap ID scanning at certain venues and encourage teenagers to attend gigs in a desperate bid to revitalise Brisbane’s struggling live music and nightlife scene. On Wednesday, the government published its official response alongside the long-awaited Moonside report, prepared by Queensland’s inaugural Night-Life Economy Commissioner – former Powderfinger bassist John “JC” Collins – which made 62 proposals to fix Brisbane nightlife. That response did not support 21 of the recommendations, including an option for later trade at retail and supermarkets in party suburbs, staggering exits from clubs to enhance safety, and extending trading hours on Good Friday and Christmas. The use of facial recognition software to replace ID scanners and deal with long lines would also be ignored, with Youth Minister Sam O’Connor, whose department handled the report, deeming the proposal unsafe. “It’s our view that that technology is not at the point where it can replace the current system,” he said. The government’s response, a 22-page action plan, has a strong focus on existing Safe Night Precincts. It will offer liquor licensing discounts to live music venues and alter noise complaints law to give music venues a fighting chance. Under a new noise complaint framework, venues must get five other complaints before the problem is taken seriously. Noise limits will also be reviewed, and a process for special events licensing hours – like those seen during the World Cup for Socceroos games – will be streamlined. Incentives for venues to provide drink spiking test kits were supported in principle, with the government declaring the industry and Safe Night Precinct boards would be well-placed to promote and implement the practice. There are 15 such
Jul 29, 2026 · via brisbanetimes.com.au
Quectel Wireless Solutions, a global end-to-end IoT solutions provider, today announces the launch of the FCM665D, a high-performance Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth module with edge AI processing capabilities, designed for smart home, smart building and industrial IoT devices. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260729751874/en/ Quectel launches high-performance FCM665D module for edge AI applications Designed for products such as smart lighting, video doorbells and central control hubs, the FCM665D pairs high-performance connectivity with on-device intelligence, giving manufacturers a way to build faster, smarter, more capable devices without leaning on constant cloud connectivity. “This module has the AI capabilities and processing power to compete at the highest level,” said Delbert Sun, Vice General Manager, Product Department, Quectel Wireless Solutions. “Smart home and IoT devices are required to do more locally at the edge, from recognizing voice commands to processing images in real time, and that requires genuine computing performance. The FCM665D gives our customers that power in a compact module that is easy to integrate and deploy.” Edge AI processing for smart home and smart building devices The launch comes as demand for smart homes and smart building technology accelerates. Juniper Research forecasts that industrial smart building deployments will grow from 26 million in 2025 to more than 165 million by 2030, as operators seek to reduce energy waste and introduce sensor-driven automation. Meeting this demand increasingly requires intelligence to move to the edge of the network, closer to the connected device itself. By processing voice, image and other data locally, edge AI can reduce latency, limit dependence on cloud connectivity, and enable faster responses. The FCM665D supports this shift with two dedicated software development kits on a single hardware platform. - The AI Development Kit (AIDK) supports voice processing functions including echo cancellation, noise suppression, voice
Jul 29, 2026 · via afp.com
The deployment of police Live Facial Recognition cameras in two Oxfordshire town led to three arrests earlier this year.
The camera vans came to Oxford city centre and Bicester town centre on May 19 and 29 respectively.
Data released by Thames Valley Police showed that a total of 62,929 faces were captured and a total of 7,521 people were spotted who are on the police's 'watchlist' during an average of three hours at the two Oxfordshire spots.
READ MORE
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An Oxfordshire MP warns towns must unite to block controversial asylum site plan
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Plans submitted for pool pavilion, gym and office at Grade II listed home
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Village pub could reopen downsized with home and guest rooms under fresh plans
In Bicester there were three 'true alerts confirmed' and three arrests but the day seemed to run smoothly with no alerts, arrests or disposals when in the famous University city.
A live CCTV feed captures facial images before they are input into the system.
The Live Facial Recognition technology then analyses facial features in real time to create a biometric template against a predetermined watch list of people suspected of crimes or wanted by the courts.
Jul 29, 2026 · via oxfordtimes.co.uk
The deployment of police Live Facial Recognition cameras in two Oxfordshire town led to three arrests earlier this year.
The camera vans came to Oxford city centre and Bicester town centre on May 19 and 29 respectively.
Data released by Thames Valley Police showed that a total of 62,929 faces were captured and a total of 7,521 people were spotted who are on the police's 'watchlist' during an average of three hours at the two Oxfordshire spots.
READ MORE
-
An Oxfordshire MP warns towns must unite to block controversial asylum site plan
-
Plans submitted for pool pavilion, gym and office at Grade II listed home
-
Village pub could reopen downsized with home and guest rooms under fresh plans
In Bicester there were three 'true alerts confirmed' and three arrests but the day seemed to run smoothly with no alerts, arrests or disposals when in the famous University city.
A live CCTV feed captures facial images before they are input into the system.
The Live Facial Recognition technology then analyses facial features in real time to create a biometric template against a predetermined watch list of people suspected of crimes or wanted by the courts.
Jul 29, 2026 · via oxfordtimes.co.uk
A Western Australian woman caught the internet’s attention after revealing that she used her twin sister’s gym membership, which used facial recognition technology. The video sent viewers into a frenzy about the presence of facial recognition at a gym. On July 20, Lauren Hamden (@notlaurenhamden) demonstrated using her sister’s gym membership in a viral TikTok that has amassed 11.3 million views as of Tuesday. “I have a twin sister named Katie,” she says. “I haven’t paid for my gym membership yet because every time I go into the gym, the facial recognition says, ‘Hello, Katie.’ So it just lets me in ’cause it thinks I’m her.” Overwhelmingly, commenters were most shocked to discover the woman’s gym uses facial recognition technology. “But why is your gym scanning faces?” wrote one commenter. “Face scanner at the gym is diabolical,” added another. Why Is This Gym Using Facial Recognition? While facial recognition has become more common at gyms, it is far from universal. Many traditional gyms still rely on key cards, QR codes, or mobile apps. However, a growing number of 24-hour fitness centers now use face scanning to speed up entry and reduce membership sharing. This technology is also marketed as a way to prevent unauthorized access and cut staffing costs. Unlike a password, you cannot easily replace your face if biometric data is stolen. Privacy advocates also question how long companies store facial templates and who can access them. Many customers worry that gyms do not clearly explain how they collect, secure, or share biometric information. How Accurate Is Facial Recognition Technology? The U.S. Government Accountability Office has repeatedly warned that commercial facial recognition raises concerns about informed consent, data retention, and the loss of anonymity. The agency also notes that federal privacy laws have struggled to keep pace with the
Jul 29, 2026 · via brobible.com
Police to use facial recognition in Nottingham crackdown on anti-social youths The force says new technology could help officers identify known troublemakers in the city centre and return children to their parents to be dealt with Nottinghamshire Police will use live facial recognition technology for the first time this summer as part of its crackdown on anti-social behaviour in the city centre, with officers saying it could help them identify known young troublemakers faster. Listen to this article The force says the technology will be deployed in Nottingham city centre as early as next month, targeting hotspot areas where officers already have intelligence about offending. It marks the latest step in their ongoing efforts against persistent youth anti-social behaviour, with police previously telling LBC that many of those causing the most disruption are aged between 11 and 16 as we joined police on the streets arresting the troublemakers. Detective Superintendent Will Henley said live facial recognition would give officers âan additional toolâ to help keep communities safe and identify wanted people. Read more: Burnhamâs government set to be majority female in UK first DS Henley told LBC the equipment will be taken âwherever thereâs intelligence in our hotspot areas across Nottinghamshire". He said: "We are looking to do our first deployment in the second half of August, and weâre looking to deploy that in the city centre for those very reasons." This new technology, which is already being used by several police forces, will mean Nottinghamshire Police will be able to take more robust action against nuisance youths, including those already known to officers through Operation View, the forceâs city centre anti-social behaviour operation. The parents of children who repeatedly commit anti-social behaviour in Nottingham could face serious consequences, including the possibility of being thrown out of social housing. LBC
Jul 29, 2026 · via lbc.co.uk
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has published updates to its guidance for Australian Privacy Principle (APP) entities that are considering using facial recognition technology in high volume and publicly accessible physical spaces such as retail shopfronts. The updated guidance implements the findings of the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART) in the matter of Bunnings Group Limited (Bunnings), which concerned the retailer's use of facial recognition technology in 62 of its stores for a period between 2018 and 2021. In March 2026, the ART affirmed aspects of the Privacy Commissioner's November 2024 determination against Bunnings, and confirmed that there is a high bar for using facial recognition technology in Australia. These new guidance updates reflect the decision of the Tribunal and provide clarity about the OAIC's regulatory application of the law. The updated guidance provides greater clarity on how exceptions to the obligation to obtain consent when collecting sensitive information, including biometric information, should be applied in retail settings. As retailers will continue to need to make contextual assessments of the legality of using FRT on a case-by-case basis, the updated guidance seeks to support entities in undertaking those assessments. "The Bunnings decision by the ART provided important clarification on certain aspects of the Privacy Act, and this updated guidance incorporates those points of clarification. The guidance remains clear, however, that each proposed deployment of FRT will need to be assessed against the requirements of the Act," said the Privacy Commissioner. "A precautionary approach to the deployment of FRT is required under Australian law. This is consistent with the expectations of the Australian community, a significant and growing proportion of whom think facial recognition technology is one of the biggest privacy risks they face today (from 27% in 2023 to 45% 2026, according to the 2026 Australian Community Attitudes
Jul 29, 2026 · via miragenews.com
Flawed and racialised models that underpin the AI-powered age-detection systems to be introduced by the British government will endanger children, rights groups and children’s charities have warned. Urging ministers to reverse plans to introduce facial age-estimation technology to screen migrants, critics have warned that black children arriving from conflict zones are at risk of being of thrust into the adult system. Maddie Harris, of the Humans for Rights Network, said the charity had worked with hundreds of children who were already being wrongly filtered into the adult system during age assessments at borders carried out by immigration officers. In May, the Helen Bamber Foundation revealed that 755 children in 2025 were incorrectly identified as adults on arrival to the UK, according to Home Office figures. Harris said the introduction of AI was a “cheap process” that would not improve these numbers. “This is not about protecting children – this is about shoring up the decisions that [the authorities] are making,” she said. The government has admitted that even the best systems can have a 30-month margin of error. Harris said this is particularly risky for children, especially those from countries such as Sudan and Somalia, who she said were already “adultified” by the system. “As soon as a child is treated as an adult, they are susceptible to – or exposed, rather – to any of the egregious consequences that the Home Office is applying to adults, such as detention and removal,” she said. Unaccompanied children would be forced into accommodation alongside adults, exposing them to risk and to the violence threatened by the rise in protests targeting accommodation for asylum seekers, she said. In May, the government announced a contract to use facial age-estimation technology developed by Cognitec, a German firm that calls itself “the face-recognition company”. That system
Jul 29, 2026 · via theguardian.com
MP Moves Supreme Court Against Police Use Of Facial Recognition Technology & Biometric Surveillance At Protest Sites Gursimran Kaur Bakshi 28 July 2026 2:54 PM IST An Article 32 petition has been filed in the Supreme Court against the deployment of facial recognition technology(FRT) and allied biometric-surveillance measures by the Delhi police during the recent Jantar Mantar protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party. The petition has been filed by Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, AA Rahim from Communist Party of India(M), Kerala, seeking a declaration that such indiscriminate biometric surveillance in peaceful assemblies is unconstitutional and should be restrained until the Parliament enacts a law validating it. The main grievance raised in the petition is that the Delhi police carried out surveillance in a complete legal vacuum. It has been argued that neither the Delhi Police standing orders governing protests, nor the Criminal Procedure(Identification) Act, 2022, authorises the biometric surveillance of persons in a civilian assembly. The petitioner has submitted that Delhi police carried out automated, algorithmic extraction and matching of the biometric identifiers of the protestors, and interlinking of such data with permanent national criminal databases. They have subjected the protestors, journalists and ordinary citizens to continuous and pervasive biometric surveillance through indiscriminate acquisition of video footage and photographs through CCTV cameras, drones, and a 'mobile command and control vehicle', as per the petitioner. The petitioner states that Delhi police's own RTI response confirms that they have never carried out a privacy impact assessment and that FRT is internally meant to be confined to tracing missing persons and identifying the dead. Relying on the Supreme Court's judgment on KS Puttaswamy v UOI(2017), which laid down the test of legality, legitimate aim and proportionality against the State's action, it says: "These objects are wholly unconnected with the policing of
Jul 28, 2026 · via livelaw.in
AI in Video Surveillance Technology Innovation: Key Trends, Growth Drivers and Opportunities Introduction to AI in Video Surveillance Technology Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the video surveillance industry by enabling intelligent monitoring, real-time threat detection, and automated decision-making. Unlike traditional surveillance systems that rely heavily on manual monitoring, AI-powered video surveillance leverages computer vision, deep learning, machine learning, and edge AI to analyze video streams, recognize objects, detect anomalies, and generate actionable insights. These capabilities help organizations improve security, reduce response times, and optimize operational efficiency. As smart cities, intelligent transportation, critical infrastructure, retail, healthcare, and industrial facilities continue to adopt digital technologies, AI-powered video surveillance is becoming a key component of modern security and public safety strategies. History of AI in Video Surveillance Technology Video surveillance technology has evolved significantly from analog CCTV systems to intelligent, AI-driven surveillance platforms. Early surveillance systems primarily recorded footage for later review, requiring continuous human supervision to identify security incidents. The introduction of IP cameras, cloud computing, and advanced analytics marked the beginning of smarter surveillance solutions. Over the past decade, rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, computer vision, neural networks, and edge computing have enabled surveillance systems to automatically recognize faces, detect suspicious behavior, classify objects, and predict potential security threats. Today, AI-powered surveillance is widely used across commercial, industrial, transportation, and government sectors to enhance situational awareness and operational intelligence. Benefits of AI in Video Surveillance Technology AI-powered video surveillance delivers far more than traditional security monitoring by transforming video data into real-time intelligence. Automated analytics reduce the burden on security personnel while improving detection accuracy, minimizing false alarms, and accelerating incident response. These systems also generate valuable operational insights that help organizations optimize business processes, ensure regulatory compliance, and improve customer and employee safety. Key Benefits Include: - Enables real-time threat
Jul 28, 2026 · via marketsandmarkets.com
By Devin Fry FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – Five surveillance cameras in Fargoâs Flock Safety network have the ability to lock onto and follow a person walking down the street using artificial intelligence, a capability that Flock Safety has publicly downplayed while marketing it in its own training materials. Fargo police confirmed the feature exists in the departmentâs five Pan-Tilt-Zoom, or PTZ, cameras, all of which are positioned along the Broadway corridor in downtown Fargo. The department says the tracking feature, called Guardian Mode, is turned off. âOur PTZ cameras do have the ability to identify through AI like vehicles and pedestrians,â said Capt. Matt Christensen, who oversees Fargoâs Real Time Crime Center. âIf you have the setting for pedestrians and a pedestrian starts walking by that camera, that camera will lock onto that pedestrian for a certain period of time.â Christensen said Fargo has chosen not to activate that feature. âWe have that turned off just because where theyâre at, that doesnât benefit us,â he said. What the cameras do Fargoâs Flock network includes 26 cameras total, 21 fixed Automated License Plate Readers, or ALPRs, and five PTZ cameras. The PTZ cameras replaced older downtown cameras when Fargo joined the Flock Safety network in June 2024, and are positioned in the same locations along Broadway that cameras have occupied for years. Unlike the fixed license plate readers, the PTZ cameras can pan, tilt and zoom. With Guardian Mode enabled, they use AI to detect movement and follow a subject, vehicle or person, within their field of view. Christensen said Fargoâs cameras are instead monitored and operated manually through the departmentâs Real Time Crime Center. âTheyâre monitored through the real-time crime center, so if we needed to move them for some reason, that would be done manually,â Christensen said.
Jul 28, 2026 · via wdayradionow.com
Hart County Sheriff’s Office discusses Flock camera policy and usage HART COUNTY, Ky. – The Hart County Sheriff’s Office is discussing its current policy regarding Automatic License Plate Readers, also known as Flock cameras. The agency stated in a social media post on Tuesday that it wanted to also discuss misconceptions about the cameras. According to the sheriff’s office, Flock cameras are “a public safety and investigative tool” utilized by its deputies. An example of use includes trying to catch an individual who steals a four-wheeler, the sheriff’s office states. The agency says the cameras are designed to capture an image of a license plate and a vehicle. According to the sheriff’s office, these images show the license plate number, vehicle make and model, color, time and location when a vehicle passed a camera. The agency says history on the cameras is available for up to 30 days. According to the sheriff’s office, after that time period passes, the data is purged, and inquiries are “always historic and not in real time.” The agency says a Flock system sends “alerts” for registration plates that are entered into the National Crime Information Center. Those alerts include wanted individuals, stolen vehicles, stolen registrations plates, golden alerts or amber alerts, missing individuals and an optional alert for sex offenders, according to the sheriff’s office. When an alert is dispatched, the agency says deputies in the area try to locate the vehicle. If the vehicle is found, the sheriff’s office says deputies are required to confirm the registration plate through dispatch or NCIC and follow proper traffic stop steps. What are some misconceptions, according to authorities? According to the sheriff’s office, Flock cameras do not possess facial recognition. In addition, the agency states after speaking with Flock representatives, Flock cameras do not offer any
Jul 28, 2026 · via wnky.com
FORM, the retail execution software company behind GoSpotCheck, today unveiled new AI-powered point-of-sale materials (POSM) image recognition capabilities that automatically detect, classify and extract in-store marketing compliance, campaign, and price data during store visits. The new capabilities give brands and retailers real-time visibility of in-store materials, displays, and promotions, so they can ensure their marketing investments are executed as planned. “Brands and retailers invest billions on trade spend and POSM production, yet most organizations lack a reliable way to confirm whether those materials are deployed in stores, correctly placed, or even present during a campaign's most critical moments,” said Alexander Zagvazdin, Chief Product Officer, FORM. “Our new POSM Recognition capability changes that, turning every field image into structured, actionable intelligence without adding friction to existing workflows.” POSM Recognition particularly benefits sectors where in-store display compliance has the highest business stakes, such as beer, wine and spirits (BWS), which typically have large-scale seasonal activations across thousands of accounts; quick service restaurants (QSR) with limited time offers; grocery retailers verifying private label and own-brand promotional execution; snacks and confectionery, as well as personal care brands with contractually defined display compliance obligations tied to retailer agreements. For leaders, the capability enables real-time campaign verification, faster identification of execution gaps, and POSM waste reduction by identifying materials that never reach the shelf. Also, it connects execution data to trade spend ROI, giving organizations the proof-of-performance they need to optimize future investment decisions. With POSM Recognition, data is delivered directly to customers’ existing GoSpotCheck workflow, in both PhotoWorks and the GoSpotCheck mobile app, ensuring that field reps, retail teams, supervisors and leaders all see the same standardized data without changing how they work. Built on next-generation AI that understands visual content in context, POSM Recognition delivers capabilities that other existing solutions cannot match: - Zero-shot,
Jul 28, 2026 · via brewbound.com
Designed to eliminate temporary storage requirements, and reduce delays for transport companies, Sunco Industries' new automated warehouse in Higashiosaka, Japan, represents a major investment in logistics automation, with the capacity to store approximately 13,000 pallets. Officially inaugurated during a completion ceremony on 1st October 2025, the facility combines advanced image recognition technology, automated dispatch systems, and dedicated storage for long products, helping the fastener distributor improve efficiency across its supply chain. During the completion ceremony, around 50 attendees, including Mr Okuyama, president at Sunco Industries, Mr Yoshikazu Noda, Mayor of Higashiosaka City, as well as Sunco employees and the construction team, gathered to mark the occasion. The event celebrated the successful completion of the warehouse and included a traditional prayer for its safety. President Okuyama delivered a speech explaining the reason behind relocating the previous warehouse and shared details on the features of this new investment: “This facility eliminates the need for temporary product storage space, allowing products to be automatically dispatched at the designated times for each delivery carrier. This reduces carrier waiting times and resolves issues caused by limited workspace.” The warehouse also includes a dedicated area for storing threaded rods, with capacity for items up to two metres in length. The most significant feature of the new warehouse is substantial improvement in collection efficiency for transport companies, thanks to the introduction of the rotary racks. These racks feature an image recognition system that enables fully automated banding – using cameras to detect whether cardboard cases lack plastic bands and applying them as needed. Previously, goods awaiting collection would remain on the warehouse floor, reducing operational efficiency. With the rotary rack, items are temporarily stored and automatically retrieved according to each carrier’s scheduled collection times, streamlining the handover process. This not only prevents overflows within the warehouse but
Jul 28, 2026 · via fastenerandfixing.com
Apple is about to kick off its major new smart home push. A new report from Bloomberg today reveals that Apple has three new smart home devices that are “nearly ready to launch.” The first two are set to come in just a couple of months … Apple’s three new smart home products coming soon According to the report, Apple is set to introduce a new Apple TV set-top box and an updated version of the HomePod mini as soon as this fall. These products “look like their current versions” but will feature faster chips inside to support Siri AI. For context, the current Apple TV 4K is powered by the A15 Bionic chip. The current HomePod mini features the S5 chip, which is the same processor as the Apple Watch Series 5. Perhaps more interestingly, Apple’s highly-anticipated new smart home hub device is also “nearly ready to launch.” This product is currently slated to debut “between October and early next year,” according to the report. There are two versions of this product in development. One of them “positions the screen on a half-dome-shaped base,” and the other is designed to be “affixed to a wall using a new magnetic system.” Today’s story also reiterates the specs and features of this device. It will reportedly have a 7-inch square display and is built around Siri AI. It features an “entirely new operating system” that’s built on tvOS. The interface is described as being a “blend” of tvOS and watchOS, with apps, icons, and widgets. It will also support FaceTime, home security monitoring, HomeKit integration, and customizable clock faces similar to the Apple Watch. The standout feature, though, is expected to be facial recognition: The hallmark feature is facial recognition, enabling the hub to identify who’s looking at the display, determine
Jul 28, 2026 · via 9to5mac.com
The allure of convenience AI-powered food image analysis offers a tantalizing vision of effortless nutrition tracking. Instead of manually logging every gram of food, users can simply photograph their meals and let the app do the work. This convenience is particularly attractive for athletes, who often need precise data to inform their fueling strategies. The idea of automating such a tedious process is understandably compelling. The market is already flooded with apps making bold claims. SnapCalorie advertises under 20% error rate, and Cal AI (now part of MyFitnessPal Photo) boasts 92-97% accuracy for common foods. And they aren’t alone, Nutrola, Cronometer, Foodvisor, and many others all claim similarly impressive numbers. But these often come with a critical caveat: they are typically collected on simple, single-food items like a banana or a chicken breast, not the multi-ingredient meals people actually eat. The hard truth A study by Fridolfsson et al. reveals a sobering reality. When AI attempts to estimate macronutrients from food images, the error rates range from 48% to 66%. The researchers also noted a systematic underestimation of large portions and high variability in macronutrient estimation. These errors are not minor. They are significant enough to render the data unreliable for serious applications. A 2026 systematic review in PMC further confirms this pattern. While AI performs well on simple foods, its accuracy drops sharply for multi-ingredient dishes. For example, a stir-fry or a casserole, where ingredients are visually intermingled, poses significant challenges. The AI might identify “chicken” and “rice,” but it cannot reliably determine the weight of either. Why it’s so difficult The challenges of AI-based food analysis are numerous. Visually identical foods, such as white rice and cauliflower rice, can be nearly impossible for AI to distinguish. Hidden ingredients like oils, sauces, and seasonings further complicate accurate estimation. For
Jul 28, 2026 · via welovecycling.com