To reduce manual monitoring, Indian Army deploys AI-based surveillance system at borders

New Delhi [India], August 6: To enhance capabilities, the Indian Army has been deploying Artificial Intelligence (AI) based surveillance systems on Northern and Western borders.

Sources in the Defense establishment have confirmed that apart from deploying AI-based surveillance systems at borders, "They are also using it to keep watch on real-time social media monitoring, pattern recognition and prediction of adversary courses of action, etc." "AI-based real-time monitoring software has been deployed for generating intelligence in Counter Terrorist Operations. AI-based suspicious vehicle recognition system has been deployed in eight locations in the Northern and Southern theatre," a source said. It has been said that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is capable of providing considerable asymmetry during military operations. It is envisaged that the use of AI will transform war-fighting paradigms.

AI applications can be utilised for surveillance and detection, real-time social media monitoring, pattern recognition and prediction of adversary courses of action, etc. Indian Army has been closely collaborating with Academia and Indian Industry, as also DRDO for the realisation of complex AI-based projects.

For this, an AI Lab has been established at the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering wherein AI projects have undergone extensive in-house testing before being given to a production agency for deployment. Indian Army has deployed several units of AI-Powered Smart Surveillance Systems on Northern and Western borders.

The Unit is capable of handling heterogeneous inputs from devices such as PTZ cameras, and handheld thermal imagers. This has considerably reduced the requirement for manual monitoring. AI-based suspicious vehicle recognition system has been deployed in eight locations in the Northern and Southern theatres. AI-based real-time monitoring software has been deployed for generating intelligence in Counter Terrorist Operations.

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How Entertainment Brands Can Leverage The Metaverse To Reach New Audiences

For generations, entertainment brands have been on the cutting edge, showing people what’s possible through technology. Consider how films like the original Star Wars used imaginative storytelling to help people consider a future with limitless possibilities. Aside from the storytelling, entertainment brands have also always been at the forefront of innovation, continually pushing the boundaries for how consumers discover, and eventually adopt, new forms of technology.

Of course, Netflix changed the way we consume new content with their early catalogs of DVDs by mail. But even a century ago, forms of media like radio broadcasting unleashed revolutionary new modes of storytelling, advertising and celebrity that continue to exist in some form or fashion today. In short, entertainment brands know that technological experimentation can lead to foundational breakthroughs.

The idea of the metaverse—or the greater alignment of physical and digital worlds—is the latest technology rage, and it should come as no surprise that entertainment brands are among the first to jump into the deep end. In this article, I'll examine four key ways entertainment brands are propelling the metaverse forward and inching it closer to the mainstream. (Full disclosure: As an early or exclusive dev partner for Niantic and Snap Inc., Trigger contributed to the development in the Verizon and PGA projects mentioned below.)

1. Immersive Storytelling

Why fix it, if it’s not broken? Just like legions of their predecessors, today’s entertainment brands continue to deploy the idea of immersive storytelling to engage with consumers through new technologies, turning to mixed reality (MR) applications to form a deeper connection with fans. In fact, the core components of augmented reality (AR) center around how story, characters and world elements spill out into an audience’s reality. No other medium does this.

In earlier iterations of immersive storytelling, this meant focusing on more touchpoints (from retail to theme parks), but, there is a deliberate focus on deeper engagement with the metaverse, making stories more “real” through extended reality (XR).

Verizon, for example, partnered with Disney, Google and Snap to create AR lenses that enabled fans to interact with iconic Avengers. In this instance, brands utilized reactive tracking and social filter technology to allow users to simulate being the heroes. These kinds of experiences take immersion to a whole new level and have truly become a best practice because fans are not only adopting their favorite IP but also showing off themselves.

2. Character And Celeb Integrations

Going hand in hand with immersive storytelling, character integrations are a great way to leverage sponsorships for the brands themselves and power further consumer engagement from fans who adore the featured celebrity or character.

Of course, fans are unlikely to meet these beloved characters in real life, but metaverse experiences can bridge the physical and digital divide. Verizon used volumetric capture technology (volcap) to create its AR Pro Interactive App. They then leveraged sports sponsorships to allow fans to interact with athletes in 3-D as they shared a breakdown of their signature move. Imagine seeing a frame-by-frame breakdown of Megan Rapinoe’s kick with augmented reality making it feel like she’s right in front of you.

3. Live Events

In our world of 24/7, on-demand content, live events often serve as the last stand to unify audiences, create real-time buzz and introduce audiences to new experiences through technology. Remember how real-time polling and voting during awards shows created more engagement, or how Super Bowl ads left viewers hanging with storylines to push them to consume digital content and allow for one-to-one relationships. Now, there are new ways to interact with the live event or even transport the user to an event they can’t attend in person.

Currently, VR is used mostly for gaming. But the future of the metaverse will be used for almost anything the imagination can dream up. Think work, play, movies and socializing. The biggest opportunity will be found across live events such as concerts, in which millions of individuals will be able to connect from all around the world. A prime example of this was the collaboration of Epic Games and BTS, which led to the debut of a music video on Fortnite.

4. Gamification

Speaking of which, gamification is a tried-and-true technique to create longer lasting connections. With new metaverse technologies at the helm, brands can incentivize audiences with new approaches to participate and even see increased engagement time.

One very intentionally gamified app was released by the PGA. Using Niantic’s Lightship ARDK technology, the PGA’s Jr. League Safari Par-tee app was designed to engage with youth golfers and introduce the sport to new audiences. Kids and families were able to bring a playfully designed golf course using plane technology into their own space and collaboratively play through their smartphones.

Entertainment brands know metaverse early adoption is key.

Other businesses can learn from the entertainment industry as any consumer company should understand the metaverse can be a driving force to supercharge marketing plans in a unified, engaging way. Fun fact: Every year, $54 billion is spent on virtual goods, almost double the amount spent buying music.

To keep on pace with consumers and competitors, the best ways to get started include:

1. Assess relevant opportunities for your business. There’s no denying the metaverse will scale across many industry verticals as early projections demonstrate.

2. Create and drive experience through internal development. Explore creative consumer engagement and social experiences through emerging channels, products/services and digital goods. Start small and move fast.

3. Join a network of metaverse ecosystem participants. High-value collaborations and partnerships are available at a reasonable level of investment. Connect with younger Gen-Z audiences and tap into unconventional talent pools to evolve with XR trends.

4. Position your business to capture the mindspace of tech-forward consumers who respond to authentic marketing.

Businesses are at a key pivot point, where it seems that not a day goes by without a brand announcing an AR or VR activation. As a result, we’ll see companies of all shapes and sizes entering the metaverse in unique ways that will evolve into new ways of connecting to consumers.

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LCI Barcelona adapts to the metaverse

July 29: LCI Barcelona has adapted to the metaverse, an integrated network of 3D virtual worlds, by specialising in areas of innovation and technology to create more design and development bachelor and master degrees.

Swati Bhat

Pic Courtesy : LCI Barcelona

LCI Barcelona has adapted to the metaverse, an integrated network of 3D virtual worlds, by specialising in areas of innovation and technology to create more design and development bachelor and master degrees.

As the metaverse develops, virtual reality (VR) games are increasingly being implemented in new products. This sector is expected to exceed 2,000 million euros in turnover in Spain alone in 2023, according to a press release.

To meet the demands of this growing sector, LCI Barcelona has increased its options of degrees so that there are more qualified professionals ready to take on the niche work after graduation.

David Carretero, head of the animation and videogames area at LCI Barcelona, said in a statement: “It is a sector that has been growing in recent years, breaking down age barriers” and that “it will not stop growing in the nearest future both due to the evolution of technology and the variety of brands that are developing products in this sector.

“Just as technology evolves, the education of students also has to change. The development of video games and animation has always seemed like something very distant, but this hobby exists for people,, and the passion for knowing how these games can be developed, now with an interest in virtual reality, is growing.”

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