Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,698,497) for a “vein scanning device for automatic gesture and finger recognition.” The device would be the Apple Watch, which would be able to automatically determining a user's gesture and/or finger positions based on one or more properties of the user's veins.In the patent filing, the tech giant says that, while voice and touch input can be an eff...

Revenues Are King, but Engagement Is the Kingdom.As highlighted by some of the world’s highest revenue-generating games such as Fortnite, League of Legends, and Pokémon GO, engagement comes before revenues. As players become more engaged (emotionally and socially) with a title, they are naturally more willing to spend (or engage with brand activations) further down the line.Player engagement...

The beauty industry’s investment in augmented reality (AR) try-on technology has been a boon as consumers increasingly turn to online shopping amidst Covid-19 concerns and restrictions. As physical product testing has been suspended even in stores that are open at this time, AR try-on tech allows beauty devotees to virtually test cosmetics before purchasing them, upholding an important purchas...

The practical challenge of quickly getting financial support in the hands of people who lost jobs amid the COVID-19 economic crisis has baffled advanced and developing economies alike. Economic lockdowns, physical distancing measures, patchy social protection systems and, especially for low-income countries, the high level of informality, complicate the task. Many governments are leveraging mob...

Zwift, a platform for racing bikes from the comfort of your home, has taken off amid the coronavirus pandemic and is even powering this year’s virtual Tour de France. Next stop? The Olympics.A friend wants to go for a ride. He has been cycling forever, and I’ve taken the last 20 years off, so he chooses the trail—a 2,000-foot climb up a small mountain. Moments after agreeing, I realize this...

Quiett is an induction cooktop that uses streaming system to help users to cook.My mom gave me a handful of those ancient recipe books that have been handed down in my family for decades. It was a nice gesture and all, but I’ll almost certainly never get around to making any of our heirloom recipes because… well… because who has time for that?? If you’re like me, you probably aren’t going...

Consumer behaviors are changing—moving towards contactless and cashless transactions. Meanwhile, as the magnitude of COVID-19 grows, these trends have only accelerated.Today’s infographic navigates the digital payments ecosystem, exploring its history and innovative technologies, and how it continues to grow as a solution of choice for trillions of dollars of transactions each year.Digital Pa...

Facebook Reality Labs (FRL) is always exploring new optical architectures to improve form factor, comfort, and optical performance. Last fall, at Oculus Connect 6, FRL Chief Scientist Michael Abrash introduced new miniaturization progress in VR with Half Dome 2 and 3, two prototypes that examine how varifocal displays can improve visual and physical comfort. This year, at the virtual SIGGRAPH c...

In the very first episode of Mad Men, the critically acclaimed AMC series about the advertising business in 1960s New York, ad man Don Draper is approached by Rachel Menken, the head of a fictional high-end department store called Menken’s. She wants Don’s help in raising her store’s profile.After some brainstorming, Don has an idea: coupons. “Ms. Mencken,” he tells Rachel, “coupons work....