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Showing posts with label computing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label computing. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

Why Zoom can wipe you out ?


 It’s not just you: Zoom fatigue is a real thing. — Dreamstime/TNS

 

Covid-19 pandemic has moved our lives into a virtual space. Why is that so exhausting?

The tiredness doesn’t feel earned. We’re not flying an airplane, teaching toddlers or rescuing people trapped in burning buildings. Still, by the end of the day, the feeling is so universal that it has its own name: Zoom Fatigue.

Stanford University professor Jeremy Bailenson, founding director of the Stanford Virtual Human Interaction Lab, has some answers.

In research published Tuesday in the journal Technology, Mind And Behavior, he describes the psychological impact of spending hours every day on Zoom, Google Hangouts, Skype, FaceTime, or other video-calling interfaces. It’s the first peer-reviewed article to analyze zoom fatigue from a psychological perspective.

There are four major reasons, according to Bailenson, that video chats make us so weary. And he proposes some easy fixes.

We’re too close for comfort

Think of the normal meeting. You might be looking at the speaker. Or maybe you’re noticing those fancy new window blinds, your colleague’s weekend tan or the traffic on the streets below.

But on Zoom calls, everyone is staring at everyone, all the time. And our faces can appear too large.

When so many faces are so close to ours in real life, our subconscious takes it personally. It tells us: They either want to pick a fight, or have sex.

“ What’s happening, in effect, when you’re using Zoom for many, many hours is you’re in this hyper-aroused state,” according to Bailenson.

Solution: Exit out of the full-screen option to shrink face size. Use an external keyboard to create a comfortable space between yourself and the masses.

We really hate watching ourselves

For most of us, that quick morning glimpse in the mirror is all we really need. After hours of self-gazing, we turn critical.

We notice that sloppy shave job. The overdue haircut. The dead plant over our left shoulder. Or maybe the light’s all wrong, casting deep shadows, and we look like a member of the witness protection programme.

“It’s taxing on us. It’s stressful,” said Bailenson. “There are negative emotional consequences to seeing yourself in a mirror.”

Solution: Use the “hide self-view” button, which you can access by right-clicking your own photo, once your face is framed properly in the video.

We’re trapped in a chair

Humans are restless creatures. During phone calls, we like to wander around. Even if stuck at a meeting at a conference table, we find ways to stretch – leaning back in a chair or gazing pensively at the ceiling.

But with videoconferencing, we’re limited by the camera’s narrow field of view.

This is both physically and mentally deadening. “There’s a growing research now that says when people are moving, they’re performing better cognitively,” Bailenson said.

Solution:

An external camera farther away from the screen lets you doodle, release neck tension, do a seated twist or fidget, just like you do in real meetings.

Turning video off periodically during meetings is a good ground rule to set for groups, creating a brief nonverbal rest.

We can’t see body language, so it takes more energy to communicate

At their best, meetings can act like subtle symphonies, with everyone harmonising their postures, laughter and knowing glances. We read each other’s cues. Conversations have rhythm.

Not so with Zoom. There’s a rigidity, with only one speaker at a time. We must listen closely for sentence completion, so we don’t interrupt. To make an important point, we must add drama and flair. “If you want to show someone that you are agreeing with them, you have to do an exaggerated nod or put your thumbs up,” said Bailenson. “That adds cognitive load as you’re using mental calories in order to communicate.”

Solution: During long stretches of meetings, give yourself an “audio only” break.

Don’t just turn off your camera – turn your body away from the screen. Gaze at that wall that needs painting, or the birds outside the window. Maybe hang up a few clothes, even wash a few dishes.

Want to measure your own Zoom fatigue? Because so many organisations – including schools, large companies and government entities – have reached out to Stanford communication researchers to improve videoconferencing setups, the team responded by devising the Zoom Exhaustion & Fatigue Scale, or ZEF Scale, to help measure workplace exhaustion.

The goal is to help change video technologies, so stressors are reduced.

To take the survey and participate in the research project, click here. – The Mercury News/Tribhttps://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2021/02/24/new-research-why-zoom-can-wipe-you-outune News Service

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Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Get groomed for Zoom: Four ways you can look better on video calls

Sitting further away from the camera, wearing neutral colours and doing simple makeup that helps to define your features are all good ways to present well over a video call. Photograph: Getty Images


From better angles to lighting and dressing up yourself and your background, here’s what experts say you’re probably doing wrong on video calls. — dpa
 

Wow, doesn’t he look tired today! Since video calls have become part of our daily work routines and entire groups of friends have virtual parties, the technical and aesthetic flaws of video chat have never been more apparent.

With these four tips, you can make it look like you’re streaming from a TV studio and look your best in front of the webcam.

1: Consider the perspective (don’t film up your nostrils)

Even with the tiny webcams built into laptops, a lot can be done. It starts with how it's positioned, explains video hardware specialist Natasja Sluka.

“A look from above can unintentionally give off an arrogant vibe.”

Try to position your camera at eye level, just like in a personal conversation. To avoid filming into your nostrils when using a laptop camera, you should place the laptop higher up, for example on some books.

Around 50 to 100 centimetres, or an arm’s length, is a good distance from the face. This also makes for a good image with some free space around the head and shoulders.

2: Let there be light (but not back light)

A lot can go wrong when it comes to lighting. A window or bright lamp behind you means everyone will see a dark shadow where your face should be.

But too little light also doesn’t make for a good picture. Sluka advises using daylight as much as possible.

Warm colours with light yellow or red tones, as opposed to fluorescent light, help create a healthier complexion.

If all of that is not enough, a lamp behind your notebook will bring more light onto your face.

If you want to do it right, then buy a ring light, says make-up artist Jasmin Reuter.

The light is reflected in the eyes of the person being recorded, and shadows on the face are also eliminated.

”For those who don’t want to put on make-up just for a video call, a ring light and a really good camera is my top tip, ” she says.

“You almost look better than in real life, as the frontal illumination of the face makes your complexion look nice and soft.”

3: A little foundation doesn’t hurt (you too, men)

The camera is merciless and can act like a magnifying glass.

”Blotchy, shiny skin is all the more noticeable on video calls, ” says Reuter.

“If you have to go on an important call, such as one that’s being recorded, I would advise men to use some no-pigment foundation to counteract the shine.”

Depending on the camera position, under-eye circles can appear even darker. If in doubt, use some concealer.

If you wear make-up anyway, Reuter advises using some blusher on video calls.

“And some mascara, which opens your eyes and makes you look more alert.”

Some patterns on your top can give off an agitated vibe, and may even flicker on someone else’s screen.

It’s therefore recommended you avoid eye-catching patterns such as checks or stripes, says Reuter.

If you wear large earrings or necklaces and a headset at the same time, then watch out that they don’t touch each other.

Otherwise you’ll annoy everyone on the call with a constant banging noise.

4: Dress up your background, too

You’ve probably discovered countless interesting things in the home of the people you’ve talked to during a video call. The other person might not have wanted to show you all that.

”Check in advance what’s in view and think about what impression you’re giving off, ” says Sluka. Making sure things look tidy won’t hurt either.

Alternatively, there’s a range of tools included in video conferencing applications like Teams, BigBlueButton, Jitsi and Zoom that will let you do things like blur the background.

”This makes sense if the shelf in the background is a bit of a mess or there is a pile of dishes in the kitchen in the background, ” says Sluka.

However, the soft focus doesn’t always work accurately: Sometimes your hair or hands disappear, especially when you move.

Some programs will let you display any background image - particularly useful for people in small and dark rooms. Plain, light backgrounds work wonders, perhaps a photo of a beautiful, light office.

Holiday photos and funny designs might serve as a conversation starter, but ultimately are just a distraction.

And should you invest in real conferencing equipment? It's a matter of opinion, says video expert Sluka. Most of the time, the built-in cameras - especially with new notebooks - are really good.

For older computers, it can make sense to buy separate hardware, but the sound is more important. The first thing to invest in is a good microphone or new Bluetooth headset. – dpa 

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Wednesday, September 9, 2020

China ready to launch global data security initiative


To address new problems and challenges in an increasingly digital era, China is ready to launch a global initiative to safeguard global data security that welcomes the participation of all parties, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi declared China's effort on Tuesday at a seminar on global digital governance.

The initiative comes against the backdrop of Trump administration cooking the so-called data threat from China's high-tech companies in recent months.

The move could be seen as a Chinese response to counter Washington's "Clean Network" program that clearly aims to smear and exclude Chinese technology firms, apps and services providers from some US allies.

Actually, Beijing's move seems more like a Chinese approach on how to properly handle global data security risks.

Data security, which is now under growing regulatory scrutiny, has become a focus of global attention due to the rising geopolitical risks linked to the issue. Over the past months, the Trump administration, without providing any evidence, claimed Chinese high-tech firms and their apps, such as Huawei Technologies, ByteDance's TikTok and Tencent's WeChat, could pose national security risks because of their access to Americans' personal data.

In the digital era, data security threat may be real, but politicizing security issues to use it as a weapon to crack down on other countries' high-tech companies, constitutes a reckless detachment from globally-recognized rules and practices.

Some US politicians may truly believe that suppression of Chinese tech firms by spreading the Cold War mindset to the digital sector will give the US an upper hand, but in fact, it will only undermine investor confidence in the global digital industry. This is because the utilization of data will determine how far we can go in the digital era, and if governments are obsessed with geopolitical games by abusing security issues, it will only lead to isolated islands of data, stalling the progress of the digital age.

But this doesn't necessarily mean that data security is not important, on the contrary, the fast development in global digitalization could only be achieved under the guarantee of data security.

China's latest initiative calls for an objective and rational approach to data security, which is essential for restoring confidence in global digital sector. For instance, governments should tighten data privacy laws and carry out cooperation over cyber-security issues like encryption. These are the right approaches to better protect each country's data security while avoiding political discrimination toward companies, wherever they are based.

Only with better rules can development be assured, so that countries can also avoid picking sides or being subject to arbitrary suppression from one or two specific governments.

It is also worth noting that even though China calls on the global discussion on data security, it won't set the rules. Because only rules that reflect the will of all countries in the world can be accepted and implemented in the long run.

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The brain-like computer with over 100 million neurons. [Photo/zhejianglab.com Innovation - Chinadaily.com.cn ] China Focus: China de..

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Saturday, September 5, 2020

China develops advanced brain-like computer

The brain-like computer with over 100 million neurons. [Photo/zhejianglab.com Innovation - Chinadaily.com.cn]


HANGZHOU - A brain-like computer with over 100 million neurons, the first of its kind in China, has been developed by researchers in East China's Zhejiang province.

Zhejiang University and Zhejiang Lab on Tuesday jointly introduced the newly developed computer named Darwin Mouse.

This high-tech device contains 792 second-generation brain-like Darwin chips developed by Zhejiang University, said Zhu Shiqiang, director of Zhejiang Lab.

It supports 120 million spiking neurons and nearly 100 billion synapses, which are equivalent to the number of neurons in the brain of a mouse. The average power consumption of the computer comes in at only 350-500 watts.

"Just like building blocks, we integrated the 792 brain-like computing chips into three standard server chassis to form a powerful rack-mounted brain-like computer," said Pan Gang, leader of the research team, from College of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University.

Meanwhile, the team also developed an operating system specifically designed for brain-like computers, named Darwin OS, which realizes effective management and scheduling of the hardware resources and supports operations and applications of brain-like computers.

According to researchers, brain-like computing refers to the use of hardware and software to simulate the structure and operating mechanism of the brain's neural network and construct a new artificial intelligence paradigm. It is an innovative computing architecture that is regarded as one of the important ways to solve complex computing-related problems in fields, such as artificial intelligence.

Pan added that this type of brain-like computer has been able to perform a variety of intelligent tasks, such as enabling the collaboration of multiple robots in simulated flood-fighting-and-rescue operations, simulating different regions of the brain and providing faster and large-scale simulation tools for scientific research. Besides, it has also realized "mind typing" through real-time decoding of electroencephalogram (EEG) signals.

"By simulating the human brain, we will be able to understand the working principles of different parts of the brain, which will help cure certain brain diseases that otherwise cannot be diagnosed through biomedical approaches," said Pan. "In the future, brain-like computers will have broader application prospects including three major areas of artificial intelligence, brain science and brain diseases."

"Brain-like computing is expected to emerge as an important form of computing in the future," said Wu Zhaohui, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and president of Zhejiang University.

"It is the latest achievement of the brain science and artificial intelligence research project (referred to as the Double Brain Project). By emulating the structure and mechanism of the brain, this project is expected to develop a new computer architecture that will lead the future," said Wu.

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Sunday, September 22, 2019

Home Is Where The Heart Is

https://youtu.be/a_B80AIQegE

Harking after a home: Officials have acknowledged that the lack of affordable housing is one of the issues that sparked the unrest in Hong Kong, which has been going on for months. — AFP
Owning a house is the standard ambition of any individual, however, getting there is increasingly becoming not only a local, but global struggle.

THERE’S a lesson to be learnt from the protests in Hong Kong – politics is about selling hope. So if the young people living in a depressing environment feel they have no future, then the alarm bells should ring loudly.

In the case of Hong Kong, the leaders – mostly technocrats and government officials – didn’t see it coming, or maybe they were just indifferent.

Many young people in Hong Kong feel they stand no chance of becoming a homeowner in their lifetime, and officials have acknow-ledged that the issue is one of the causes that sparked off the unrest.

The controversial Extradition Bill, which allows a Hong Kong resident to be sent to mainland China to face trial, was merely a catalyst. Those protesters couldn’t all possibly believe they’d fall on the wrong side of the law and face the consequences, could they?

Last week, former Hong Kong chief executive Leong Chun-ying was in Kuala Lumpur for appointments with businessmen, opinion leaders and officials, to update them on developments on the island.

I was among the lucky Malaysians picked to hear his thoughts and views on Hong Kong, while he, too, listened to our concerns during the two-hour closed-door meeting.

My co-host and meeting organiser, Datuk Seri Azman Ujang, and I both feel that of all the problems faced by any country in nation- building, none deserves greater priority than housing the people.

What expectation could be more basic than having a roof over our heads, and with it being a decent and affordable one at that? And when we talk about affordable, it should be truly attainable by the low-income people who form the bulk of the population in most countries.

Azman, the Bernama chairman, rightly outlined the consequences of the failure that stems from a lack of will in resolving the housing problem of the masses. And as he said, this could easily lead to people pouring into the streets protesting issues not even directly related to housing.

It’s a fact that many poor Hong Kong people live in a room less than 75sq ft, and millions live in deplorable conditions.

More recently, “nano” flats – tiny apartments less than 200sq ft – have fast become the norm in overcrowded Hong Kong.

According to a South China Morning Post report, the cost began at HK$2.85mil (RM1.52mil) for an apartment no bigger than an average Hong Kong car park space, but the lack of interest forced a rethink by the developer.

But what’s mind-boggling is that while there are plenty of poor people in Hong Kong, or many who feel poor, Hong Kong’s fiscal reserves stood at HK$1.16tril (RM620bil) as at the end of January.

In a report, Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau said there was a surplus of HK$86.8bil (RM46.2bil), bringing the cumulative year-to-date surplus up to HK$59bil (RM31bil).

All this wealth belongs to Hong Kong and not mainland China, so a lot can be done with that money for a population of just seven million people, especially low-cost housing!

In comparison, Malaysia’s official reserve assets amounted to US$102.03bil (RM425bil) as at end November 2018, while other foreign currency assets stood at US$51.6mil (RM215mil) for the same period, Bank Negara said. Malaysia has a population of 32 million.

It can’t be denied that Singapore has done well in housing its population, with over 90% of the seven million population reportedly living in homes of their own, and the home-ownership ratio is said to be the world’s highest.

The Singapore Housing Development Board (HDB) deserves global recognition for its feat in solving the housing problem of the people, especially the poor.

The middle-class and poor must be able to have a roof over their heads. That’s an essential human need. No country can have peace and stability if the poor are not able to own a home in their lifetime.

A prosperous and satisfied middle-class will lead to political stability. A huge middle class will also mean greater purchasing power, and this will lead to a better economy with spillover effects for everyone.

When there are angry citizens protesting everything from the escalating food prices to housing, then even the elite (including politicians and businessmen) will not feel safe. In South Africa, the rich live in houses with high walls and electric fences to protect themselves, but that’s not the best way to live. It’s living dangerously.

Malaysian politicians who still wield the race and religion card will realise that at some point, these will be “dead issues”.

With well-documented shrinking numbers, the Chinese and Indian population will no longer be the proverbial bogeymen in the future. Instead, it is class stratification that will be a matter of concern.

Last year, it was reported that the gap in income between the rich, middle class and poor in Malaysia had widened since 2008, according to a study by Khazanah Research Institute (KRI).

In its “The State of Households 2018” report, the research outfit of sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd noted that the gap in the real average income between the top 20% households (T20) and the middle 40% (M40) and bottom 40% (B40) households had almost doubled, compared to two decades ago.

The report, titled Different Realities, pointed out that while previous economic crises, in 1987 and the 1997/98 Asian Financial Crisis, saw a reduction in the income gap between the T20 and B40/M40, post-2008/09 Global Financial Crisis (GFC), those disparities had not reduced.

But the Gini coefficient, which measures income inequality in the country, had declined from 0.513 in 1970 to 0.399 in 2016, denoting improvement in income inequality in Malaysia over the past 46 years.

Explaining the phenomenon, Allen Ng, who is the lead author of the KRI report, said income of the T20 households had continued to grow, albeit at a slower pace than that of the M40 and B40 since 2010.

“However, because they (the T20) started at a higher base, the income gap between the T20 and M40/B40 had continued to grow despite the fact that the relative (income growth) is actually narrowing post-GFC, ” Ng explained at a press conference after the launch of the report yesterday.

In his bestselling book The Colour Of Inequality: Ethnicity, Class, Income And Wealth In Malaysia (2014), economist Dr Muhammed Abdul Khalid wrote that “the future does not look rosy for Malaysia; the current policies are encouraging wealth disparity between rich and poor, and between ethnicities.

“Unless bold and drastic actions are taken urgently, a harmonious future for Malaysia is uncertain. There must be an urgency to give every Malaysian economic security, a better and sustainable future.”

Muhammed, the managing director of the research and consulting firm DM Analytics Malaysia, said last year that contrary to popular belief, most Chinese (70%) are wage-earners, as are most Malays (72%). In fact, the poverty gap between races has dropped compared to 40 years ago, though the disparity remains.

And what about Malaysia? We have a disastrous, if not scandalous, record, particularly the pathetic business activities, dealings and performance of the 1Malaysia People’s Housing Programme’s (PR1MA) set up to build affordable homes.

More than RM8bil has gone up in smoke because PR1MA’s management failed to meet its targets, despite all the assistance and facilities accorded to their projects by the previous federal government and most state governments.

PR1MA reportedly built only 11,000 homes, compared with its target of half a million residential units to be delivered by the end of 2018. That’s less than 5% of the original plan.

PR1MA Malaysia was set up to plan, develop, construct and maintain high-quality housing with lifestyle concepts for middle-income households in key urban centres. Its homes are priced between RM100,000 and RM400,000.

PR1MA is open to all Malaysians with a monthly household income of RM2,500 to RM15,000.

A total of 1.42 million people registered for PR1MA, a promise of one million homes by 2020, but only 16,682 units, or 1.6%, of the target, were completed between 2013 and 2018, costing the government billions in public funds.

Poor management, exorbitant land acquisition costs and unsuitable sites have turned the people’s housing project into a major financial flop. PR1MA’s failure, which could cost the new government billions, is apparently already saddled with ballooning debts, rendering the loss-making company untenable.

It’s the responsibility of the government to build affordable homes – not the private developers. Private developers, especially those who helm public listed companies, have profits and dividends to answer for to shareholders. They are in the business of making money, and with the expensive land bank they have acquired, they need to build expensive homes, too.

Even if there are requirements with the obligated mixed homes for social housing needs, it still won’t resolve the problems.

Our politicians shouldn’t pass their responsibilities to them. They just need to have qualified and competent professionals with integrity to run a set-up like HDB. Obviously, the people who ran PR1MA didn’t do their jobs. We can help Malaysians own homes, or at least rent them at affordable rates, if we’re truly committed. The question is, are we?

As for Hong Kong, there is another lesson the young protesters need to learn: a full democracy doesn’t guarantee you a home and a decent job. Just ask the homeless in the United States and Britain.

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Saturday, September 21, 2019

China's new digital currency

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From 'Made in China' to 'Created in China'从中国制造到中国智造 https://youtu.be/mt77GAFWQV0

Made in China" used to be a synonym for cheap products, but all that has changed. China has made huge progress in innovation and technology. From the Sunway TaihuLight supercomputer, the fastest in the world, and the 500-meter-wide radio telescope in southwest China's Guizhou Province, to the development of lithium battery and 3D-printed blood vessels made from stem cells and renewable energy technologies, Chinese innovations are making a name for themselves. CGTN explains China's huge transformation from the world's factory to an innovation leader.

CGTN's special program "New China" gives you an in-depth look at China 70 years on. Our crew is on a 12-day journey around China's southwestern, southeastern and northeastern regions. Don't miss it. #PanoramicChina #70YearsThriving

China's central bank speeds up digital currency drive

 Private-sector players likely to participate in project

Photo: VCG

With internet technologies advancing and cryptocurrencies flourishing amid a broad digital transformation, individual countries are starting to issue legal tender in digital form, and the People's Bank of China (PBC), the country's central bank, is also accelerating its pace in this area.

As of Sunday, the PBC had applied for 74 patents involved with digital currencies to the National Intellectual Property Administration, according to a report by the Economic Information Daily on Monday.

The PBC said it will speed up the development of legal digital currency on Friday.

Wang Xin, director of the PBC Research Bureau, said in July that the authority is organizing market-oriented institutions to jointly research and develop a central bank digital currency and the program has been approved by the State Council, China's Cabinet.

"China is beefing up efforts in digital currency innovation, a trend driven by emerging technologies that is spreading worldwide," said Huang Zhen, a professor at the Central University of Finance and Economics.

Rather than letting cryptocurrencies challenge the position of sovereign currencies, it is wiser for countries to roll out their own digital currencies, Huang told the Global Times on Monday.

Chinese authorities ordered a ban on initial coin offerings in 2017 and stopped direct bitcoin-yuan trading as the rapidly expanding market spawned concerns over financial risks.

The PBC, one of the earliest central banks in the world to start the process of digital currency innovation, launched its program in 2014 during the tenure of former governor Zhou Xiaochuan. In 2017, the PBC established a research institution for the digital currency.

"China is among the leading countries in terms of its research into a government-backed currency," said Huang.

Favorable conditions

The basic conditions favorable for China's implementation of a digital currency include comprehensive and fast networks, broad digitalization in the financial sector, and advanced financial technologies - particularly blockchain, a digital, public ledger that records online transactions, according to Huang.

In recent years, Chinese internet companies have made huge achievements in the mobile payment and e-commerce sectors, helping create a digital economy of more than 30 trillion yuan ($4.36 trillion), according to media reports.

In June, US social media giant Facebook released an official white paper for its cryptocurrency project Libra, a blockchain-powered stablecoin expected to arrive in 2020.

The move stepped up the global race for digital currencies, with China's central bank paying close attention.

The central bank is closely working with market participants on creating a central bank digital currency, PBC official Wang said.

"China's private market players have accumulated some experience in the digital currency sector. Their participation in the government's work will effectively help promote the project," Cao Yin, an expert in the blockchain sector, told the Global Times on Monday.

It is likely that the sovereign digital currency will be issued within two or three years at the soonest, although the authority tends to take a prudent attitude, Cao said.

Once it is broadly implemented, the new currency will have a big impact on Alibaba's Alipay and Tencent's WeChat Pay, the two dominant mobile digital payment tools in China, as the PBC's digital currency is featured by decentralization, unlike the former two.

Challenges ahead

There are still some bumps on the road to promoting the digital currency.

"For this new kind of currency, its nature actually poses challenges to existing policies in such aspects as foreign exchange control, so it takes time to balance benefits with potential risks," said Cao.

A flexible and open mechanism is needed by the PBC to attract more talent, he added.

Digital currencies can help strengthen regulation as transaction data can be tracked and analyzed, including illegal money laundering, according to Huang. But laws and rules should be formulated in a timely fashion to protect individual information. "Safety is the biggest issue," he added.

"Use of the digital currency to better serve the real economy also requires policy guidance," said Huang. Newspaper headline: PBC accelerates digital currency drive.

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