TREND REPORTS
(Paper) EVA Robot Identifies and Copies People's Facial Expressions
[Tech]
2021/06/03 09:09
As part of its learning process, EVA runs through a variety of facial movements while filmed by a camera.If you smiled at someone and they didn't smile back, you'd probably find it off-putting. Well, that's what usually happens if you smile at a humanoid robot … but not in the case of the expression-mirroring EVA.Developed by a team of engineering researchers at New York City's Columbia Univer...
Luxury Goods Sales Projected To Recover To 2019 Levels This Year
[Business]
2021/06/03 09:08
A new report published in May says that global sales of luxury goods have a shot at fully recovering to 2019 levels this year. Consultancy firm Bain & Company believes there’s a 30% probability that the luxury market could meet or exceed $340 billion in sales of high-end items such as apparel, handbags and jewelry, which would be the most in two years.This marks an adjustment up from Bain...
Dirac Research Raises $17.7M to Create the ‘Future of Sound’
[Investing]
2021/06/03 09:07
Dirac Research has rasied $17.73 million in funding to create software audio solutions that will create the “future of sound.”The money for the Uppsala, Sweden-based company comes from Swedish fund TIN Fonder and DIG Investment, in a direct share issue. And it values the company at a post-money valuation of $142.2 million.CEO Peter Friedrichsen said the money positions Dirac to lead what it b...
Why High Fashion Brands are Getting Into Gaming
[Business]
2021/06/03 09:06
With virtual Gucci handbag selling in Roblox game for more than real-life versions, as part of our deep dive on all things gaming we consider the opportunities fashion brands have in digital worlds where players are willing to spend serious money to create their own unique identities.You’d think the virtual realms of Animal Crossing and League of Legends would be the last place to find the lik...
Dubai Left Behind as World’s Prime Property Hotspots Thrive
[Investing]
2021/06/03 09:05
Knight Frank sees Dubai, Buenos Aires prime homes losing value. Next year could hand Dubai its biggest home supply since 2009.A supply glut that’s held down Dubai’s property prices for over half a decade will likely keep it on the sidelines of a global upswing in values of prime residential real estate.Fast emerging from the pandemic slump, the construction industry will deliver an estimated...
Can This Startup Engineer a Better Baby Formula ? ByHeart
[Business]
2021/06/03 09:04
Just three companies control 90% of the baby formula market. ByHeart wants to manufacture its own—and make it as chemically close to breast milk as possible.Looking at a store shelf stocked with baby formula, it seems like there’s a plethora of options: more than 50 kinds, with varying ingredients and marketed to whatever your baby needs, whether they’re constipated, colicky, or have been sp...
Transforming a Shopping Centre Into a Green Cultural Quarter - MVRDV
[Design]
2021/06/03 09:03
Reflecting on the future of shopping centres and addressing their decline in visitors, MVRDV's Heuvelkwartier design proposes converting Eindhoven's Heuvel shopping venue into a green cultural quarter. The project brings together retail, culture and recreation, expanding the existing buildings while transforming the roofs into a park. The proposal also expands the Muziekgebouw with a stacked cu...
(Patent) Ford Patents Terrible Billboard Scanning Tech, Shows In-Car Ads
[Tech]
2021/06/02 09:10
A new patent shows previews how advertisements might creep into your car.For whatever benefits the vehicle-as-a-service might net a consumer, this new Ford patent hints at a possible downside: inescapable ads blaring on your car's infotainment screen. The same onboard data connections proliferating throughout vehicle lineups that allow for built-in WiFi and over-the-air vehicle updates could be...
(PDF) Mckinsey - Creating Consumer and Business Value with Subscriptions
[Consumer]
2021/06/02 09:09
Done right, subscription businesses can provide consumers with value, convenience, and personalized offerings while fostering stability and growth.It is no secret that the continued expansion of digital and the proliferation of data has fundamentally changed what it takes to compete in retail. In response, retailers have been actively investigating ways to transform their business model, and th...
