Applied Technology Review : News

Fashion companies can now oversee the whole production cycle of their products, from raw materials to finished goods, overcoming the issue of supply chain transparency. Designers and firms embrace technology and test the boundaries of what is possible in production, marketing, and even wearability, as evidence. The fashion industry is gaining popularity with the rise of metaverse fashion shows, smart clothing, and 3D-printed garments. By 2030, the fashion business is expected to have earned an estimated $3.3 trillion. Technology has mostly stayed the same in the fashion industry, so it's intriguing to see what's on the horizon that might completely revolutionize the sector in 2023 and beyond. Companies can lessen their adverse effects on the environment without sacrificing client interest or satisfaction. If information is made public, blockchain has the potential to become a tool that can ensure firms are responsible for every step of the process. Style in the Metaverse: Gucci, Nike, Zara, and Boohoo are just a few fashion houses taking advantage of the metaverse. Now even cheap clothing stores are getting on the metaverse bandwagon. The program aimed to get more women involved in Web3 and other metaverse fashion initiatives. With the introduction of the metaverse, an already innovative field has been given a new lease on life. Because of its overwhelming popularity, there is an increase in this particular field, as influencers can get a great advantage. Authentically different fabrics: Innovative materials represent the future of clothing; in this way, eco-friendly design can help designers stand out. For example, as per reports, Fabrican's sprayable liquid fiber was used to create the fly dress, covering her in a pure white gown. Wool, cotton, nylon, and cellulose are natural and synthetic fibers in the liquid spray-on fabric. Designers now have more opportunities to express their originality because of developments in materials, logistics, and digital experiences. These technologies can help make clothing more eco-friendly, so they're not simply for show. Multi-dimensional printing: Several companies and artists have been investigating the potential of 3D printers for on-demand manufacturing since their introduction. One of the most exciting things about 3D-printed clothing is its great environmental benefits, as the design of the materials can be recycled and used again. The feature of cutting-edge materials and techniques has made 3D-printed clothes for celebrities. Blockchain: Blockchain provides a valuable medium for the members of the fashion industry to communicate with one another, making it possible to increase openness and accountability. Fashion companies can now monitor the entire production cycle of their goods, from raw materials to the final product, thereby resolving the issue of supply chain transparency. Blockchain, mainly utilized as a record-keeping technology, can be used for effective track-and-trace technology and inventory management in the textile and garment industries. ...Read more

The Ocean Cleanup uses technology to reduce plastic waste in the oceans using barriers, AI-powered cameras, and Interceptor solutions that collect trash before it enters the ocean. The non-profit environmental group The Ocean Cleanup has spent nearly a decade developing solutions to remove plastic waste from the Pacific Ocean. The problem of plastic pollution in the oceans is complex, with approximately 1,000 rivers and five ocean garbage patches to address. Therefore, the initial years of efforts were focused on comprehending the issue. The North Pacific Ocean is home to the world's largest concentration of ocean plastic waste, commonly known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It has been one of The Ocean Cleanup team's primary targets due to a massive buildup of plastic debris ranging from large fishing nets to flake-sized microplastics. Casting the Net To address plastic pollution in the oceans, The Ocean Cleanup employs a U-shaped barrier, akin to a net, that is drawn through areas of debris by boats, taking care to move at a slow pace to minimise the harmful effects to marine life. The team utilises cameras powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to scan the ocean's surface consistently for plastic waste and fine-tune their computer models, enabling them to identify which sections of the Pacific to concentrate on. Certain sections of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch have a notably high concentration of plastic, whereas other areas are relatively empty. Specific regions of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch have a significantly higher concentration of plastic waste compared to other sections, which are relatively less polluted. The Ocean Cleanup's 800-metre-long (2,600-foot) system, which is the second of its kind, collects plastic waste that is then periodically transported to land and recycled. The system has removed around 200,000 kilograms (440,000 pounds) of plastic waste from the ocean. It represents just 0.2 per cent of the 100 million kilograms of plastic in the largest collection of plastic waste in the world, it is still worthwhile: Anything big starts with a humble beginning. The Ocean Cleanup team is optimistic that their current system will have removed one per cent of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch by the end of this year. However, they are scaling up their operations to speed up the cleanup process. They are developing System 3, a massive 2.4km (1.49 miles) long barrier, which they plan to use in the summer. The Ocean Cleanup is planning to deploy 10 larger systems in the near future in the hopes of cleaning up 80 per cent of the North Pacific's plastic debris by the end of the decade. Stemming the Flow The Ocean Cleanup conducted research in 2021 that revealed around 1,000 rivers worldwide are responsible for 80 per cent of the plastic waste that ends up in the oceans. The critical role of rivers is carrying plastic debris from land to sea. The plastic waste flows from streets into creeks, then into rivers, and ultimately ends up in the ocean during rainfall. The swift currents in rivers can make it even more challenging to prevent plastic waste from reaching the oceans. In rivers, plastic waste flows through only once, and if not intercepted, it is guaranteed to enter the ocean. Therefore, the task of catching plastic waste in rivers is more challenging as there is only one chance to prevent it from polluting the oceans. To capture plastic waste in rivers before it reaches the ocean, The Ocean Cleanup deploys its Interceptor solutions. This technology is used to intercept and collect plastic waste from rivers and transport it to land-based facilities for recycling. It employs a range of technologies adapted to the specific characteristics of each river, such as width, depth, flow speed, and the type of debris. The system uses AI-powered cameras to analyse and optimise its operations. Most of the Interceptor systems deploy conveyor belts to extract the garbage from the river.  Intercepting plastic in 11 rivers around the world, but ultimately aim to scale this to all 1,000 heaviest polluting rivers in the world. Ocean Cleanup is employing advanced technology to address the increasingly alarming issue of plastic pollution in the oceans globally. The organisation is creating and implementing incentive measures, such as extended U-shaped barriers that are towed by boats through stretches of idle water, and cameras equipped with artificial intelligence that scan the surface of the ocean to detect plastic debris. The organisation is also using Interceptor to catch debris in rivers before it reaches the sea. While the current efforts have only removed a small portion of the plastic waste, The Ocean Cleanup aims to scale up its operations and deploy larger systems to clean up more debris, potentially removing up to 80 per cent of the North Pacific's plastic debris by the end of the decade. ...Read more

Some of the challenges of video surveillance footage are access and management challenges, privacy and human rights violations, and challenges related to timestamps. In preparing court cases and solving crimes, video surveillance footage is a crucial tool. This type of digital evidence is becoming increasingly common in court due to the abundance of cameras everywhere. Even so, poor extraction techniques, privacy concerns, and other technicalities can lead to its dismissal. In an investigation, digital evidence is information and data stored on, received, or transmitted by an electronic device. It is imperative for the criminal justice system to collect and process video footage effectively as video cameras become more common in public and private organizations. Case closure and fair prosecution depend on digital forensics. Techniques for extraction: Manual methods do not require specialized tools but sufficient effort and labor. Searching for a specific event in a videotape, manually can take hours. Also, it can lead to human errors, oversights, and inaccuracies. Video analytics can support extraction by searching quickly and accurately for objects, events, or images. Authorities can complete forensic investigations faster and more efficiently with sophisticated video analytics platforms. Video from one or more events must be downloaded together in order to be submitted as evidence in court. In this case, the information needed to prove that the video was not altered is available. Issues related to admissibility: Video evidence can be ruled inadmissible in the following ways: Seizure and search: Governments are prohibited from unreasonable searches and seizures under the fourth amendment. As a result, if the video footage is not obtained properly, it will be inadmissible in court. A warrant is required before video surveillance data can be legitimately obtained and used as direct evidence in a criminal prosecution. An error occurred in the timestamp: Inaccuracies can occur when video surveillance systems are obsolete, such as incorrect timestamps. It takes only a reasonable doubt to overturn what could have been a potentially strong case, which severely undermines the integrity of the video evidence. Modern and reliable video surveillance systems are essential to avoid inadmissibility issues in the future. The chain of custody: Digital evidence is preserved in its original form through a rigorous chain of custody. It includes documentation of how video evidence is stored, who has handled it, and who has accessed it. A mistake in the collection, handling, and utilization of video evidence can have serious consequences and make criminal investigations more challenging. In order to avoid inadmissibility in court, best practices should be followed, and the implementation of best-in-class video surveillance and video analytics solutions should be done. ...Read more