The headline on 07 Aug 2020
What does Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) mean?
Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) is an open-standard programming language created to design three-dimensional (3-D) and Web-based models, textures and illusion.
VRML is used to illustrate 3-D objects, buildings, landscapes or other items requiring 3-D structure and is very similar to Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). VRML also uses textual representation to define 3-D illusion presentation methods.
VRML is also known as Virtual Reality Markup Language.
VRML is a popular open standard tool for developing 3-D animations, illusions, characters and most full-scale graphical Web application representations. VRML uses text to define 3-D credentials, i.e., 3-D item coordinates and geometric values are specified and transformed into the original illusion or image.
VRML was an open standard that provided easy adaptability and thus was used primarily for education and experimentation. VRML was used to design virtual Web-accessible worlds but did not easily integrate with HTML, which led to the eventual X3D replacement.
What does Real Reality (RR) mean?
Real reality (RR) is a term used to refer to the real world, rather than the increasingly engaging and interactive one found online. Real reality is used to distinguish an experience or interaction from virtual reality or any other fictional, fantasy or lifelike experience. Philosophically speaking, what is and isn’t real is a matter of debate, especially when virtual reality and other digital experiences are becoming increasingly hard to distinguish from real-life experiences. The term real reality aims to preserve this distinction.
Real reality aims to distinguish typical, real-world experiences, interactions and activities from the virtual or cyber domain. The term is also part of the philosophical debates that foresee a time when human beings will be overwhelmed by and spend most of their time in virtual reality. For example, the evolution and popularity of online social networks could reduce the amount of time people physically spend together, leading to a sort of virtual friendship that, arguably, does not exist in real reality.
The headline on 06 Aug 2020
What does Intelligence Amplification (IA) mean?
Intelligence amplification (IA) is the idea that technologies can be assistive to human intelligence, rather than being composed of technologies that create an independent artificial intelligence. Intelligence amplification systems work to enhance a human’s own intelligence, to improve a human decision-maker’s function or capability in some way.
Intelligence amplification is also known as assistive intelligence, augmented intelligence, cognitive augmentation or machine-augmented intelligence.
The idea of intelligence amplification or augmented intelligence partially arises from fears and concerns about artificial intelligence as a whole. With artificial intelligence evolving and becoming more robust, there are increasing concerns about rogue technologies impacting human life in some negative way.
It seems safer, in that context, to develop intelligence amplification technologies – tools that derive their efficacy from human consciousness, instead of forming their own artificial sentience. Experts explaining AI may talk about Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics or other theoretical or practical artificial intelligence analysis that makes the case for why augmented intelligence can be a valuable part of the technology spectrum.
Augmented intelligence tools can be used for many purposes. Some are valuable in electronic discovery, or in developing a knowledge base. Natural language tools and imaging processing tools can enhance human perception. Some of these tools are being designed for transportation in autonomous vehicles or other practical applications. The key is that all of them are based on the idea of “intelligence amplification” – using human consciousness in some manner.
What do Behavior-based security mean?
Behavior-based security is a proactive approach to security in which all relevant activity is monitored so that deviations from normal behavior patterns can be identified and dealt with quickly. As machine learning continues to improve, this approach to security management is expected to play an important role in securing computing at the edge of the network.
Traditional security software is signature-oriented: the software monitors data streams and compares data in transit to signatures in an anti-virus vendor’s library of known threats. Behavior-based security programs work a little differently — they monitor data streams too, but then they compare data stream activity to a baseline of normal behavior and look for anomalies. Behavior-based security products use applied mathematics and machine learning to flag events that are statistically significant.
While there may still be instances where an organization needs to choose between signature-based and anomaly-based security software, there is a broad range of intrusion detection and prevention products that combine both approaches.
Depending upon its capabilities, a behavior-based security software product may be marketed as a network behavior anomaly detection (NBAD) product, a behavior-based intrusion detection product, a behavior threat analysis (BTA) product or a user behavior analytics (UBA) product.
The headline on 05 Aug 2020
Ciphey is an automated deciphering/decoding tool that uses a deep neural network and simple filtering to figure out what type of encoding was used. Input the encoded text, get deciphered text back.
matplotlib Cheatsheets offers five great Python resources including two time-saving cheatsheets and handouts for beginners and intermediate users plus some fantastic tips and tricks.
Bash Scripting Tutorial was created to provide a solid foundation for how to write Bash scripts that can automate complex, repetitive tasks. Doesn’t promise to make you a bash guru but should be enough to get you on your way.
Powershell Modules by MadBoyEvo is a blog that will point you toward over 40 Powershell modules that were written in the past 2 years. Categories addressed include: Active Directory functions, Word create/read, PDF create/split/merge, HTML create with no HTML/CSS/js knowledge, HTML parsing, RSS, SIEM, Event Logs, Microsoft Teams, Discord, Lansweeper and more. Some of these work on Linux and macOS as well as Windows.
Shorewall is high-level tool that helps with configuring Netfilter. You first enter your firewall/Gateway requirements in a set of configuration files. Then in combination with iptables, iptables-restore, ip and tc utilities; Shorewall configures Netfilter and the Linux networking subsystem. Can be used on a dedicated firewall system, a multi-function gateway/router/server or on a standalone GNU/Linux system.
What does Mobile Augmented Reality Application (MARA) mean?
A mobile augmented reality application (MARA) is a type of mobile application that incorporates and complements built-in components in a mobile phone and provides a specialized application to deliver reality-based services and functions.
A MARA uses the architectural composition of a mobile phone to deliver applications that add value to the physical world through virtual data and services.
Augmented reality mobile applications are designed to equip mobile phone users with rich services, applications and functionality, which are applied on top of physical reality. Such applications use the phone’s camera, GPS, touch screen elements and other sensory and motion detectors to integrate real images, videos or scenarios within them.
For example, a phone camera may incorporate facial recognition capabilities and provide the ability to detect and focus on faces before taking the picture, or enable the identification of several real-world items viewed through the camera.
What do Application modernization mean?
Application modernization is the refactoring, re-purposing or consolidation of legacy software programming to align it more closely with current business needs. The goal of application modernization is to create new business value from existing applications.
In many legacy applications, the business process workflow is hardcoded and tightly coupled with other aspects of the legacy code. Keeping legacy applications running smoothly can be a time-consuming, resource-intensive process, especially when the software becomes so outdated that it becomes incompatible with newer versions of the underlying operating system (OS) or system hardware.
The headline on 04 Aug 2020
What do Third-party cookies mean?
A third-party cookie is a small amount of code that is placed on a website visitor’s hard disk; this particular type of cookie is referred to as the “third party” because it originates from a website domain other than the one a user is visiting.
A cookie is a mechanism that allows the server to store its own information about a user on the user’s own computer. The data stored in the cookie lets the server know with whom it is interacting so it can send the correct information back to the user. Cookies that originate from the site the visitor actually visits are referred to as first-party cookies.
In marketing, the vast majority of programmatic ad providers rely on third-party cookies to find, identify and target prospects on the web. Business uses include serving personalized online ads, cross-site tracking and retargeting sales prospects. Third-party cookies can be blocked through browser settings and security settings that enforce “same-origin policy.”
By default, the Firefox browser blocks all third-party cookies and Google recently announced it will take major steps to “fundamentally enhance privacy on the web” by limiting third-party cookies in Chrome, which is currently the world’s most popular browser.
What does Augmented Reality Headset (AR Headset) mean?
An augmented reality headset is a specialized, head-mounted display device that provides a simulated visual environment through physical display optic lenses, allowing the user to see both a digital display and the world through the glasses.
Augmented reality headsets provide virtual images, videos, animation or informational content to users who wear them, allowing them to add virtual elements to the real world they can see through the glasses. This is an emerging technology that aims to transform the world as users see it depending on what they’re looking at.
An augmented reality headset normally provides the same reality-based environment as that seen through the naked eye, but it adds visual stimulation or content to provide an enhanced view to the user. Augmented reality may be used in real-world scenarios such as education, health, construction and others to provide users with more information, computer-assisted decision making and interactive learning and training.
Augmented reality headsets are typically designed to be similar to eyeglasses except that the lenses are made of transparent LCD or another display mechanism. The headsets also include a built-in microprocessor and storage.
