New Patent To Transform Entertainment Industry -- Holograms Can Now Move Into Restaurants, Private Events And Our Homes

Donald Spector, Inventor

WorldIPI.com President Lisa Pamintuan announced patent #10,536,496 has been issued by the US Patent and Trademark Office to Donald Spector, one of the world's most prolific inventors.

"Spector has opened several billion-dollar industries in the past and we believe this addition to our world class patent portfolios will change the landscape of the entertainment industry forever. With lower cost and our new patented holographic streaming system, the equipment can be set up in venues as small as a restaurant or home and broadcast visuals and sounds indistinguishable from live entertainment! Previously holography has been used in large scale auditoriums and concert venues. Our patents will now allow streaming holography to go mainstream."

Gary Salzman, President of Big Management says, "I've seen this technology in action and it's absolutely amazing. This is truly the future."

"The entertainment industry and the public have been waiting to see and do more with Holography. Audiences love holograms that they have seen at concerts and trade shows throughout the world. With HoloRama, our new technology, the audience will not know what is live or what is a hologram until sets come alive, acts appear and disappear and dancers pop out of thin air," Lisa Pamintuan explained.

"HoloRama can do the impossible for artists and producers; it can have higher production value at venues of all sizes with lower costs, and be indistinguishable from reality. Our newer patents now are being developed for one of the fastest growing fields at the juncture of sports and entertainment, E-Sports."

Donald Spector added, "Having been an executive producer on Broadway, the excitement of working with this new venture is the most exciting of my life. Live events are great, but they have not been able to compete with the higher production value of movies. This technology gives the best of both. The economics of having a superstar perform at private events has been reserved for the super-rich or large corporations. This technology provides world class entertainment by allowing headliner acts to perform almost live in intimate venues and gives the audience a close-up experience with their favorite artist. The general public can now afford to pay for a star to perform in HoloRama at almost any social event including weddings, birthdays and anniversaries."

Hologram Records will be selecting artists to be featured on its tours that can perform around the world simultaneously. Hologram Records will also be producing synthetic acts.

Additionally, this new technology will be able to offer holograms of special effects like waterfalls, giant pop out cakes and Christmas trees in HoloRama as indistinguishable new screen savers, when not being used for performances. Karaoke will change as singers will be able to have famous singers perform with them at parties and nightclubs.

• The company is planning a virtual traveling pop up tent circus that can set up at county fairs and events everywhere.

SOURCE: WorldIPI.com

How To Take Your Medical Career To The Next Level

How To Take Your Medical Career To The Next Level (image via Pexels)

If you work in medicine, you possibly have one of the hardest, yet most satisfying careers on the planet. Whether you are a doctor, nurse, or a background hero that works in a laboratory, you play an integral role in the lives of so many people.

While you may have a certain degree of career satisfaction, it may also be the case that you continuously strive for betterment. In this post, we are going to look at some of the best things you can do if you would like to take your medical career to a brand new level.

When Is The Right Time To Advance?

One of the most commonly asked questions in every career path is when is the right time to expect to advance, and the answer isn’t a clear cut as most people think.

The truth is, when you are ready to advance, it will generally be a natural thing unless you purposely hold yourself back. If you reach a stage in your career where you know that it’s time for you to move up the ladder, then don’t be afraid to approach the right people and ask the question.

If the people you approach agree with you, then you’ll get that promotion; if they don’t, then ask them what you need to do to achieve your goal.

Advancing Your Medical Career

When it comes to developing your career, it can often be challenging, but one career path that can be easier than others to climb the ladder in is healthcare. While most people may presume it is, in fact, a lot harder to advance in the medical world, providing you take the right steps, you can’t really go wrong.

The first thing when it comes to managing your career mobility is that you will always need to be improving your knowledge base in the world of medicine. No matter what part of the healthcare system you find yourself in, there will always be a course, certification, or some level of training that is out there that will help you get onto the next rung of the ladder.

As somebody that works in healthcare, it will matter not whether you are support staff or a doctor; the path to progression will always be the same. The path involves requirements being put in front of you, and then you meet these requirements so you can achieve the promotion you desire.

Medical Advancement Time Frame

While we briefly touched on time frames earlier, this section is going to help squash the myth that in the medical world, you can only achieve a certain goal after a specific amount of time.

The truth is, if you take the requirements that are expected of you and you manage to complete them in a shorter time frame than expected, you can go through the processes to advance at the very moment you are ready.

With most roles in healthcare, the process that is laid out will involve a few things. So, you should notice that you may have to complete a portfolio, a verification and then you will also have to undergo an interview with your employer to ensure that your knowledge base will suit your advanced role.

If you are confident that you will be able to complete all of these with ease, then getting started towards your promotion can be as easy as speaking to your medical training officer and asking to get started.

Why Is It Important To Advance?

If you work in the medical world, you will often find that you are there because of your desire to help people. While this may be your primary focus when working in healthcare, you will often find that you want to do more and achieve more the longer you work in the industry.

Also, why you may be driven by your love of people and your compassionate nature, these things alone cannot take care of your bills. So, if you really want to thrive in the healthcare industry, you need to put as much focus as you can on climbing the ladder in your selected role.

When it comes to your role, you will find that there will be much in the way of opportunity, and you will never really have to lose the ability to do your primary job role. So, if you plan to work in healthcare on a long term basis, from the outset, you should be looking at how you can advance and what steps you will need to take to make this career, one for life.

AARP The Magazine Celebrates 19th Annual Movies for Grownups Awards in Los Angeles

(L-R) Don Johnson, Adam Sandler, and Jamie Lee Curtis attend AARP The Magazine's 19th Annual Movies For Grownups Awards at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel on January 11, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for AARP)

AARP The Magazine's 19th Annual Movies for Grownups Awards were held Saturday night at the Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills, celebrating 2019's standout films with unique appeal to moviegoers 50+ and recognizing the inspiring artists who make them. 

For nearly two decades, AARP's Movies for Grownups program has championed movies for grownups, by grownups, by advocating for the 50-plus audience, fighting industry ageism, and encouraging films that resonate with older viewers. 

Host Tony Danza speaks onstage during AARP The Magazine's 19th Annual Movies For Grownups Awards at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel on January 11, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AARP)

Hosted by iconic screen and stage performer Tony Danza, the star-studded awards ceremony included a touching tribute to Career Achievement Award honoree, Annette Bening. Bening spoke about the power of shared purpose, vulnerability and comraderie in filmmaking as Tinseltown's elite turned out to laud her.

Annette Bening accepts Career Achievement onstage during AARP The Magazine's 19th Annual Movies For Grownups Awards at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel on January 11, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AARP)

Other highlights of the evening included a special appearance by Diane Ladd, who presented Best Supporting Actress award to daughter Laura Dern for her performance in "Marriage Story," returning a gesture daughter gave to mom at MFG four years ago. Rock and pop legend Linda Ronstadt earned a prolonged standing ovation for Best Documentary, "Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice," presented by her friend of three-plus decades Maria Muldaur. Conan O'Brien hilariously cut down Adam Sandler, as the "desperate" Best Actor awardee descended on the stage before O'Brien could finish talking up Sandler's performance in "Uncut Gems." And Finn Wittrock presented the Best Actress award to Renée Zellweger for portraying "Judy" 80 years after Garland starred in "The Wizard of Oz."

Martin Scorsese (R) accepts Best Director for 'The Irishman' from Juliette Lewis onstage during AARP The Magazine's 19th Annual Movies For Grownups Awards at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel on January 11, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AARP)

• The Awards ceremony will be broadcast by Great Performances for the third consecutive year on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, at 6 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings), and will be available to stream the following day on pbs.org/moviesforgrownups and the PBS Video app.

Linda Ronstadt (R) accepts Best Documentary for 'Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice' from Maria Muldaur onstage during AARP The Magazine's 19th Annual Movies For Grownups Awards at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel on January 11, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AARP)

The complete list of the 19th Annual Movies for Grownups Awards Winners:

• Career Achievement: Annette Bening
• Best Picture/Best Movie for Grownups: The Irishman
• Best Actress: Renée Zellweger (Judy)
• Best Actor: Adam Sandler (Uncut Gems)
• Best Supporting Actress: Laura Dern (Marriage Story)
• Best Supporting Actor: Tom Hanks (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood)
• Best Director: Martin Scorsese (The Irishman)
• Best Screenwriter: Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story)
• Best Ensemble: Knives Out
• Best Intergenerational Film: The Farewell
• Best Foreign Language Film: Pain & Glory (Spain)
• Readers' Choice: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
• Best Time Capsule: Harriet

Consumer Cellular is proud to be the presenting sponsor for the Movies for Grownups Awards. Event proceeds benefit AARP Foundation, which works to end senior poverty by helping vulnerable older adults, in Los Angeles and across the country, build economic opportunity and social connectedness.

About Movies for Grownups:

AARP's Movies for Grownups advocates for the 50-plus audience by fighting ageism in the entertainment industry and encouraging films that resonate with older viewers. With weekly news and reviews, nationwide screenings and an annual awards event, AARP champions movies for grownups, by grownups.

• For more information go to aarp.org/moviesforgrownups

About Great Performances:

Great Performances is produced by THIRTEEN PRODUCTIONS LLC for WNET. Throughout its more than 40-year history on public television, Great Performances has provided viewers across the country with an unparalleled showcase of the best in all genres of the performing arts, serving as America's most prestigious and enduring broadcaster of cultural programming.

About AARP The Magazine's Movies For Grownups Awards' Philanthropic Goals:

The annual Movies for Grownups Awards raises funds for AARP Foundation, AARP's affiliated charity, which helps vulnerable older adults around the country transform their lives through programs, services and vigorous legal advocacy. AARP Foundation works to increase economic opportunity and social connections to prevent and reduce senior poverty.

About AARP:

AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. 

AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin.

SOURCE: AARP

DHL to Host Jessica Minh Anh's Sustainable Catwalk at the JFK International Airport in New York [Preview Video Included]

Jessica Minh Anh chose DHL facility for the iconic J Winter Fashion Show 2020 (PRNewsfoto/DHL)

Fashion show producer and supermodel Jessica Minh Anh will make history with the first ever catwalk centered on the globally sustainable supply chain.

Powered by DHL Express U.S., J Winter Fashion Show 2020 will premiere the most exquisite fashion collections, while highlighting the modern upcycling and delivery process in a creative and sustainable way. 

• Part of Jessica's iconic Fashion x Sustainability series, the high-profile event will be held February 6 at the DHL Express John F. Kennedy Gateway and follows the international successes of previous enviro-fashion phenomena atop Hoover Dam, Gemasolar power plant, and the Race For Water solar-wind-hydro powered vessel.

"Since shipping and logistics is such a big part of the fashion industry, I believe it is crucial to minimize environmental impacts by using green logistics solutions. What drew me to DHL is its great commitment to sustainability. From optimizing transport routes and rolling out alternative fuel vehicles, to operating energy efficient warehouses, DHL is reducing transport related CO2 emissions. It is important for me to partner with a company that prioritizes the health of our planet," said Jessica Minh Anh.

In preparation for the grand outdoor catwalk, Jessica Minh Anh visited DHL facilities and met with top executives at John F. Kennedy airport earlier this week to outline the vision of the show. The fashion icon also modeled exclusive haute couture designs by Rami Kadi, Kujta & Meri, Pnina Tornai, VUNGOC&SON, Ella Gafter and Cristina Sabatini against the epic backdrop. No stranger to mind-blowing catwalks at the most challenging locations, Jessica will not only present innovative fashion and luxury collections, but also explore how fashion and the global supply chain can be more sustainable. Like her previous iconic productions, J Winter Fashion Show 2020 will celebrate diversity, unity, creativity and sustainability alongside fashion from Europe, Asia, Australia, and America. 

Jessica Minh Anh

"We are very excited to join forces with Jessica Minh Anh in this historic project," said Reiner Wolfs, Vice President and General Manager, Northeast Area, DHL Express U.S. "Her powerful message of motivating the younger generation to take action for a better future aligns perfectly with our vision for zero emission logistics."

The official list of participating fashion houses will be revealed closer to the show. With an environmentally conscious approach, Jessica has selected official partners who put sustainability as a priority, including IWG's brand Spaces, Veestro, Warren Tricomi, scheimpflüg, Cream Ridgewood, Tone House, and Gotham Hotel among others.

A TEDx keynote speaker and a representative of the environmentally engaged younger generation, Jessica's passion cuts to the heart of the global challenge, making sustainable living a lifestyle choice. More than a modern fashion statement, J Winter Fashion Show 2020 will stimulate a global conversation about sustainability triggered by a unique and visually impressive experience. 

Jessica Minh Anh - Fashion x Sustainability

SOURCE: DHL

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On the 81st Anniversary of the Most-Watched Movie of All Time, 1500 Students in 24 School Districts Produced The Wizard of Oz, as an Animated Movie

To celebrate the 81st anniversary of The Wizard of Oz 523 students at the Wilder School District in Idaho collaborated with Wonder Media to produce an animated adaptation of the most popular movie of all time. It's called the The WonderGrove Wizard of Oz and it's the first feature length animated movie made by kids.

To celebrate the 81st anniversary of The Wizard of Oz, the nation's top EdTech studio, Wonder Media has collaborated with school districts nationwide to produce an animated adaptation of the most popular movie of all time. It's calledThe WonderGrove Wizard of Oz.

The script was divided into 27 sequences and sent out to the 172 school districts nationwide that use the Story Maker animation production tool in their classrooms. Twenty-four school districts in 10 states came on board to work collaboratively on this feature length film.

Story Maker is a project-based teaching tool that was co-created by Terry Thoren, the former CEO of Klasky Csupo, Inc the company that produced The Simpsons, Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys. 

To celebrate the 81st anniversary of The Wizard of Oz Wonder Media collaborated with 24 school districts in 10 states to produce an animated adaptation of the most popular movie of all time. It's called the The WonderGrove Wizard of Oz and it's the first feature length animated movie made by kids.

• Story Maker was created based on research about "Phenomenon Based Learning." Students are more engaged in the learning of a phenomenon when it comes from the real world and is relevant to their daily lives. 

The participating students wrote scripts, drew storyboards, cast their fellow students into the character roles, acted each role, recorded the voices, sang and recorded the songs, and used their own drawings to create beautiful backgrounds. What began as a dream, culminated with a national premiere at the famed Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. 

"Animation is the most popular form of entertainment in the world. Educators are discovering that students who have a difficult time applying themselves to formal teaching methods are blossoming with the use of Story Maker," said CEO of Wonder Media, Terry Thoren. "Students are learning authentic life skills like communication, collaboration, compromise, critical thinking and team building. It is a joy to watch classrooms come alive with enthusiasm."

Local premieres of each school's interpretation of Oz will take place in 24 cities throughout the nation including: Dallas, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; Long Island, New York; Lancaster, California; Boise, Idaho; Columbus, Mississippi; Wilson County, Tennessee and Ballard, Iowa.

SOURCE: Wonder Media

Warner Bros. To Open First Ever Harry Potter Flagship Store In New York

Harry Potter New York Flagship - Concept

Warner Bros. today announced that it will open the first official Harry Potter flagship store in the heart of New York City next to the iconic Flatiron building at 935 Broadway.

Opening in Summer 2020, the store will house the largest collection of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts products in the world under one roof with everything from personalised robes and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans to a brand-new range of house wands with a design exclusive to the New York location.

Spanning three floors and over 20,000 sq. ft., the space will provide fans with a number of exciting retail experiences that evoke the magic of the Wizarding World.

Sarah Roots, SVP Worldwide Tours and Retail, Warner Bros. said: "This will be the largest dedicated Harry Potter store in the world and will become a must-visit fan destination where Harry Potter enthusiasts can engage with interactive experiences and numerous photo opportunities as they step into the magic.

We are very excited to be opening in New York. It's the ideal city in which to launch with so many dedicated Wizarding World fans, a cutting-edge retail environment and a community that embraces innovative experiences."

Harry Potter New York Flagship - Concept

About Wizarding World

More than two decades ago, a young Harry Potter was whisked onto Platform 9¾ at King's Cross Station, and readers everywhere were swept along with him into a magical universe, created by J.K. Rowling. In the years since, the seven Harry Potter bestsellers have inspired eight blockbuster movies, an award-winning stage play, and, more recently, the start of the Fantastic Beasts five-film series. People of all ages have been enthralled by these extraordinary adventures, set within an expanding universe, inspired by the vision of J.K. Rowling.

For today's growing worldwide fan community, and for generations to come, the Wizarding World welcomes everyone to explore more of this magical universe — past, present and future. The Wizarding World also provides fans with an instant, trusted kite-mark of quality and authenticity.

Harry Potter New York will be part of an expanding portfolio of Warner Bros. owned Wizarding World experiences that include Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter and Platform 9 ¾ retail shops.

SOURCE: Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

US: Satoshi Kon's Classic Animated Feature 'Tokyo Godfathers' Comes to Theaters Nationwide on March 9 and 11

Tokyo Godfathers

GKIDS, the acclaimed distributor of multiple Academy Award-nominated animated features, and Fathom Events announced today that "Tokyo Godfathers," the critically-acclaimed animated feature from director Satoshi Kon ("Perfect Blue," "Paprika"), will return to theaters in a new 4K restoration this March. 

[GKIDS previously re-released a remastered version of Satoshi Kon's groundbreaking psychological thriller "Perfect Blue" in 2018 in partnership with Fathom Events.]

ASIFA-Hollywood recently announced that Kon would posthumously receive the Winsor McCay Award, the organization's award for lifetime achievement in animation, at their upcoming 2020 Annie Awards ceremony, and a new stage play based on "Tokyo Godfathers" has just been announced by the New National Theatre, Tokyo, to be performed during the theater's 2020-21 season.

In modern-day Tokyo, three homeless people's lives are changed forever when they discover a baby girl at a garbage dump on Christmas Eve. As the New Year fast approaches, these three forgotten members of society band together to solve the mystery of the abandoned child and the fate of her parents. Along the way, encounters with seemingly unrelated events and people force them to confront their own haunted pasts, as they learn to face their future, together.

GKIDS and Fathom Events will present "Tokyo Godfathers" in select movie theaters across the U.S. on Monday, March 9 at 7:00 p.m. (local time, English-language subtitled) and Wednesday, March 11 at 7:00 p.m. (local time, English-language dubbed). For a complete list of theater locations, visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

"We are pleased to partner with GKIDS to bring this wonderful re-release to American cinemas," said Fathom Events CEO Ray Nutt. "Anime fans nationwide will once again be able to enjoy the brilliant work of Satoshi Kon in their local theaters among likeminded audiences."

More About "Tokyo Godfathers":

(via Wikipedia)

"One Christmas Eve, three homeless people – a middle-aged alcoholic named Gin, a former drag queen named Hana, and a dependent runaway girl named Miyuki – discover an abandoned newborn while searching through the garbage. Deposited with the unnamed baby is a note asking the finder to take good care of her and a bag containing clues to the parents' identity. The trio sets out to find the baby's parents. The baby is named Kiyoko (清子), based on the Japanese translation of Silent Night literally meaning "pure child", as she is found on Christmas Eve.

Outside a cemetery, the group encounters a high-ranking yakuza trapped under his car. The man happens to know the owner of the club where Kiyoko's mother used to work; his daughter is getting married to the club owner that day. At the wedding, the groom tells them that the baby's mother is a former bar girl named Sachiko. He gives them Sachiko's address, but the party is interrupted when a maid, revealed to be a Latin American hitman in disguise, attempts to shoot the bride's father. The hitman kidnaps Miyuki and the baby and takes them back to his home. There, Miyuki befriends the hitman's wife and shows her some pictures of her family.

Hana searches for Miyuki and Kiyoko while Gin takes care of an old homeless man who is dying in the street. After giving Gin a little red bag, the old man peacefully passes away. Some teenagers show up and beat up Gin and the dead old man. Meanwhile, Hana finds the girls and they go off to find a place to stay.

They go to Hana's former club. Gin, who was rescued by another member of the club, is also there. The trio sets out to find Sachiko's house, but they discover that it has been torn down. They are informed of the unhappy relationship between Sachiko and her husband, who is a gambling alcoholic. The group rests at a store until they are told to leave by the clerk. Hana collapses, and is taken by Gin and Miyuki to the hospital. Once at the hospital, Gin finds his daughter, who is also named Kiyoko, working as a nurse. Hana berates Gin in front of his daughter and storms out of the hospital, with Miyuki following behind with baby Kiyoko in hand.

Hana and Miyuki find Sachiko about to jump off a bridge. Sachiko insists that her husband got rid of the baby without her knowledge, and that they return the baby to her. Meanwhile, Gin finds Sachiko's husband, who confirms a TV report Gin saw earlier that Kiyoko was actually stolen by Sachiko from the hospital. They chase after Sachiko and the baby. After an intense car chase, Miyuki chases Sachiko to the top of a building. Sachiko reveals she became pregnant in hopes it would bring her closer to her husband. When her baby was stillborn, she decided to kidnap Kiyoko from the hospital, thinking, in her grief, the baby was hers. As Sachiko is about to jump off the building, her husband comes out of his apartment, located just across the street, and begs her to start over with him. Sachiko jumps off nevertheless, but Miyuki manages to catch her before she falls, but then Sachiko accidentally drops Kiyoko. Hana jumps off the building after Kiyoko, catches the baby, and lands safely due to a miraculous gust of wind.

Hana, Miyuki, and Gin are taken to the hospital. Miyuki hands Gin his cigarettes and drops the old man's small red bag on the floor, revealing a winning lottery ticket. Kiyoko's real parents want to ask the trio to become her godparents. When a police inspector introduces them to the trio, the inspector is revealed to be Miyuki's father."

Related Videos:

• Beginning on Friday, January 31 tickets for "Tokyo Godfathers" will be available at FathomEvents.com, TokyoGodfathersMovie.com and participating theater box offices.

SOURCE: Fathom Events

Deepfakes: Informed Digital Citizens Are The Best Defence Against Online Manipulation

Facebook announced Jan. 6 it will remove videos edited to mislead in ways that ‘aren’t apparent to an average person,’ and are the product of artificial intelligence or machine learning. Here, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies at a hearing at the U.S. House Financial Services Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Oct. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) 

 More than a decade ago, Internet analyst and new media scholar Clay Shirky said: “The only real way to end spam is to shut down e-mail communication.” Will shutting down the Internet be the only way to end deepfake propaganda in 2020? 

Today, anyone can create their own fake news and also break it. Online propaganda is more misleading and manipulative than ever.

Deepfakes, a specific form of disinformation that uses machine-learning algorithms to create audio and video of real people saying and doing things they never said or did, are moving quickly toward being indistinguishable from reality.

Detecting disinformation powered by unethical uses of digital media, big data and artificial intelligence, and their spread through social media, is of the utmost urgency.

Countries must educate and equip their citizens. Educators also face real challenges in helping youth develop eagle eyes for deepfakes. If young people lack confidence in finding and evaluating reliable public information, their motivation for participating in or relying on our democratic structures will be increasingly at risk.

Undermining democracy

It is now possible to generate a video of a person speaking and making ordinary expressions from just a few or even a single image of this person’s face. Face swap apps such as FaceApp and lip-sync apps such as Dubsmash are examples of accessible user-friendly basic deepfake tools that people can use without any programming or coding background.

While the use of this technology may enrapture or stun viewers for its expert depictions in entertainment and gaming industries, the sinister face of deepfakes is a serious threat to both people’s security and democracy.

Deepfakes’ potential to be used as a weapon is alarmingly increasing and many harms can be anticipated based on people’s ability to create explicit content without others’ consent.

It’s expected that people will use deepfakes to cyberbully, destroy reputations, blackmail, spread hate speech, incite violence, disrupt democratic processes, spread disinformation to targeted audiences and to commit cybercrime and frauds.

Danielle Citron, professor at Boston University School of Law, discusses how deepfakes undermine truth and threaten democracy.

Deepfake detection

Key players have ventured into finding a response to deepfake threats.

Facebook announced Jan. 6 it “will strengthen its policy toward misleading manipulated videos that have been identified as deepfakes.” The company says it will remove manipulated media that’s been “edited or synthesized — beyond adjustments for clarity or quality — in ways that aren’t apparent to an average person” and if the media is “the product of artificial intelligence or machine learning that merges, replaces or superimposes content onto a video, making it appear to be authentic.”

The news follows Facebook’s “deepfake challenge,” which aims to design new tools that detect manipulated media content. The challenge is supported by Microsoft, a consortium on artificial intelligence and a US$10-million fund.

In late October, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified at a U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee hearing in Washington about the company’s cryptocurrency plans, where Zuckerberg faced questions about what the company is doing to prevent deepfakes.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of the U.S. Department of Defense is working on using specific types of algorithms to assess the integrity of digital visual media.

Some researchers discuss the use of convolutional neural networks — a set of algorithms that loosely replicates the human brain, designed to analyse visual imagery and recognize patterns — to detect the inconsistencies across the multiple frames in deepfakes. Others propose algorithms to detect completely generated faces.

Hani Farid, an expert in digital forensics and one of the leading authorities on detecting fake photos, and his student Shruti Agarwal at University of California, Berkeley are developing a software that uses the subtle characteristics of how a person speaks to distinguish this person from the fake version.

Farid is also collaborating very closely with deepfake pioneer Hao Li to confront the problem of “increasingly seamless off-the-shelf deception.”

YouTube nation

What if we wake up tomorrow to a deepfake of Greta Thunberg, Time magazine’s 2019 Person of the Year, accusing a specific organization to be the major catalyst of climate change? Would any youth be skeptical of the information?

We are living in a digital era when many people expect every answer to be found through a Google search, a YouTube or a Vimeo video or a TED talk. Nearly 100 per cent of Canadian youth between 15 to 24 years old use the internet on a daily basis. Most follow news and current affairs through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

In 2017, 90 per cent of Canadians aged 18 to 24 were active YouTube users.

According to Statista, a company that provides market and consumer data, “as of May 2019, more than 500 hours of video were uploaded to YouTube every minute,” equating to “approximately 30,000 hours of newly uploaded content per hour.” The company reports that between 2014 and 2019 “the number of video content hours uploaded every 60 seconds grew by around 40 percent.”

Many of today’s 18- to 24-year-old social media users recognize the agendas and algorithms behind the posts that pop up on their walls. In my PhD thesis research, I explored how 42 participants in this age group understood refugees in a contexts where ideas about refugees were deeply influenced by social media propaganda, fake news and disinformation. I found that many craved to become influencers and disrupt public commentary and media-generated messages in ways that resonate with advocacy or activist campaigns today led by youth.

The deepfake phenomenon is a new critical challenge they, and all participants in our democracies, now face.

Education for resilience

In Canada, Journalists for Human Rights announced a new program, funded by Heritage Canada, to train journalists and to enhance “citizen preparedness against online manipulation and misinformation.”

Educators can play a key role in fostering youth agency to detect deepfakes and reduce their influence. One challenge is ensuring youth learn critical media literacy skills while they continue to explore valuable resources online and build their capacities and knowledge to participate in democratic structures.

Following steps I have identified in the “Get Ready to Act Against Social Media Propaganda” model — beginning with explaining stances on a controversial issue targeted through social media propaganda — educators can help youth discuss how they perceive and recognize deepfakes. They can explore the content’s origins, who it’s targeting, the reaction it’s trying to achieve and who’s behind it.

They can also discuss youth’s role and responsibility to respond and stand up to disinformation and potential digital strategies to pursue in this process. A well-equipped generation of digital citizens could be our best bet.>

About Today's Contributor:

Nadia Naffi, Assistant Professor, Educational Technology, Holds the Chair in Educational Leadership in the Sustainable Transformation of Pedagogical Practices in Digital Contexts, Université Laval

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. 

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• Reuters Partners With Facebook Journalism Project To Help Newsrooms Around The World Spot Deepfakes And Manipulated Media
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SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) Reveals How Swan Nebula Hatched

Composite image of the Omega Nebula. SOFIA detected the blue areas (20 microns) near the center. The red areas near the edge represent cold dust detected by the Herschel Space Telescope (70 microns), while the white star field was detected by the Spitzer Space Telescope (3.6 microns). The space telescopes could not observe the blue and green regions in such detail because the detectors were saturated. SOFIA’s view reveals evidence that parts of the nebula formed separately to create the swan-like shape seen today. (Image credit: NASA/JPL/SOFIA)

Universities Space Research Association today announced that SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) revealed a new view of the Swan Nebula showing that parts of it formed separately to create the swan-like shape seen today. The results were presented at a press briefing at the American Astronomical Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Though astronomers have been studying swan nebula for 250 years, the new SOFIA image reveals never-before-seen details of the Swan, or Omega Nebula. This is the most detailed infrared view of the nebula, revealing features that previous observations with space telescopes could not see including massive stars at their earliest stages of evolution. Scientists found nine areas where the nebula is collapsing and will one day form stars, called protostars, that had never been seen before. 

The study also found evidence that the nebula was not all formed at the same time, but has undergone multiple eras of formation that are responsible for its present, swan-like appearance.

One of the brightest and most massive star-forming regions in our galaxy, the Omega or Swan nebula, came to resemble the shape resembling a swan's neck we see today only relatively recently. New observations reveal that its regions formed separately over multiple eras of star birth. The new image from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, is helping scientists chronicle the history and evolution of this well-studied nebula.

According to, Wanggi Lim, a Universities Space Research Association scientist at the SOFIA Science Center at NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley, "The present-day nebula holds the secrets that reveal its past, we just need to be able to uncover them. SOFIA lets us do this, so we can understand why the nebula looks the way it does today."

Uncovering the nebula's secrets is no simple task. It's located more than 5,000 light years away in the constellation Sagittarius. Its center is filled with more than 100 of the galaxy's most massive young stars. These stars may be many times the size of our Sun, but the youngest generations are forming deep in cocoons of dust and gas, where they are very difficult to see, even with space telescopes. Because the central region glows very brightly, the detectors on space telescopes were saturated at the wavelengths SOFIA studied, similar to an over-exposed photo.

SOFIA's infrared camera (called FORCAST, the Faint Object Infrared Camera for the SOFIA Telescope,) however, can pierce through these cocoons.

The new view reveals nine areas where the nebula's clouds are collapsing, creating the first step in the birth of stars, called protostars, that had not been seen before. Additionally, the team calculated the ages of the nebula's different regions. They found that portions of the swan-like shape were not all created at the same time, but took shape over multiple eras of star formation. The central region is the oldest, most evolved and likely formed first. Next, the northern area formed, while the southern region is the youngest, and was created most recently. Even though the northern area is older than the southern region, the radiation and stellar winds from previous generations of stars has disturbed the material there — preventing it from collapsing to form the next generation.

"This is the most detailed view of the nebula we have ever had," said Jim De Buizer, a Universities Space Research Association senior scientist at the SOFIA Science Center at NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley. "It's the first time we can see some of its youngest, massive stars, and start to truly understand how it evolved into the iconic nebula we see today."

Massive stars, like those in the Swan nebula, release so much energy that they can change the evolution of entire galaxies. But, less than one percent of all stars are this enormous, so astronomers know very little about them. Previous observations of this nebula with space telescopes studied different wavelengths of infrared light, which did not reveal the details SOFIA detected.

SOFIA's image shows gas in blue as it's heated by massive stars located near the center, and dust in green that is warmed both by existing massive stars and nearby newborn stars. The newly-detected protostars are located primarily in the southern areas. The red areas near the edge represent cold dust that was detected by the Herschel Space Telescope, while the white star field was detected by the Spitzer Space Telescope.

The Spitzer Space Telescope will be decommissioned on January 30, 2020, after operating for more than 16 years. SOFIA continues exploring the infrared universe, studying wavelengths of mid- and far-infrared light with high resolution that are not accessible to other telescopes and helping scientists understand star and planet formation, the role magnetic fields play in shaping our universe, and the chemical evolution of galaxies.

SOURCE: Universities Space Research Association

The Knot Pattern Found on the "Earlier Version Mona Lisa" Is Not by the Hand of Leonardo da Vinci

Caroline Cocciardi author of "Leonardo's Knots"

NBC's "Today Show" reported as to the possibility of an earlier version by the hand of Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci of "Mona Lisa," the most famous painting in the world. The consortium who purchased the so-called "Isleworth Mona Lisa" and changed the painting's name to "Earlier Version Mona Lisa" claims it is by the maestro. While some experts suggest the painting is a mere copy, a handful of art historians believe it to be an earlier, unfinished version by Leonardo da Vinci himself.

Caroline Cocciardi, the author of "Leonardo's Knots" claims she can prove the knot pattern to be found on the "Earlier Version Mona Lisa" is not by the hand of Leonardo da Vinci. 

"We have several knot drawings done by Leonardo da Vinci in 1490, the year this so-called 'Earlier Version Mona Lisa' was supposedly painted. Leonardo was at the top of his game mixing artistic design with elaborate mathematical patterns. We have five Codex notebook pages by Leonardo that are standalone mathematical knot gems."

Cocciardi adds, "Leonardo's knots are his personal signature. No copyist has successfully captured the intricacies of the 'Mona Lisa Knot,' which have been painstakingly and brilliantly executed. Whoever painted the knots on 'The Earlier Mona Lisa' was a journeyman at best and demonstrated no knowledge of mathematics."

Knot mathematician Emeritus Professor Kenneth C. Millet, Department of Mathematics, University of California, Santa Barbara, conducted a mathematical analysis of Leonardo's knot art, such as the "Mona Lisa Knot" found on the bodice of her dress. Professor Millet's findings were published in the "Journal of Mathematics and the Arts." "Leonardo da Vinci as an artist and as a mathematician was in a league of his own, a master in complex knotted designs," explains Professor Millet.

In an interview given to "The Art Newspaper" Martin Kemp, author of the newly released book "Leonardo's Salvator Mundi," agrees with Cocciardi's knot findings. Kemp goes on describing "sloppily executed elements—such as the mistake in the interlaced knot design on the crossed bands, or the clumsy folds at the top of the robe," errors that Kemp attributes to an assistant.

Cocciardi doubles down, "When you see the interlocking complexity executed in 'Accademia Vinciana' six mandalas you see Leonardo's genius displayed on the most miniscule of scales. Leonardo's knot art speaks for itself."

"Art history, mathematical analysis, and high technology will cooperate more closely in the future and contribute to the development of new methodologies for art authentication," concludes Cocciardi.

Leonardo da Vinci - Portrait attributed to Francesco Melzi

More About Leonardo da Vinci:

(via Wikipedia)

Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (14/15 April 1452 – 2 May 1519), known as Leonardo da Vinci, was an Italian polymath of the Renaissance whose areas of interest included invention, drawing, painting, sculpture, architecture, science, music, mathematics, engineering, literature, anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, paleontology, and cartography. 

He has been variously called the father of palaeontology, ichnology, and architecture, and is widely considered one of the greatest painters of all time (despite perhaps only 15 of his paintings having survived).

Born out of wedlock to a notary, Piero da Vinci, and a peasant woman, Caterina, in Vinci, in the region of Florence, Italy, Leonardo was educated in the studio of the renowned Italian painter Andrea del Verrocchio. 

Much of his earlier working life was spent in the service of Ludovico il Moro in Milan, and he later worked in Rome, Bologna and Venice. He spent his last three years in France, where he died in 1519.

Leonardo is renowned primarily as a painter. The Mona Lisa is the most famous of his works and the most popular portrait ever made. The Last Supper is the most reproduced religious painting of all time and his Vitruvian Man drawing is regarded as a cultural icon as well. Salvator Mundi was sold for a world record $450.3 million at a Christie's auction in New York, 15 November 2017, the highest price ever paid for a work of art. 

Leonardo's paintings and preparatory drawings—together with his notebooks, which contain sketches, scientific diagrams, and his thoughts on the nature of painting—compose a contribution to later generations of artists rivalled only by that of his contemporary Michelangelo.

About Caroline Cocciardi:

Cocciardi book "Leonardo's Knots" was highlighted in "The Art Newspaper" stating "a new way of thinking is addressed by Caroline Cocciardi, who explores the many potential variants of knots drawn by Leonardo."

SOURCE: Caroline Cocciardi