NEW RESOURCES

Purdue University: Machine learning for making machines: Applying visual search to mechanical parts. “Computer vision researchers use machine learning to train computers in visually recognizing objects – but very few apply machine learning to mechanical parts such as gearboxes, bearings, brakes, clutches, motors, nuts, bolts and washers. A team of Purdue University mechanical engineers has created the first comprehensive open-source annotated database of more than 58,000 3D mechanical parts, designed to help researchers apply machine learning to those parts in actual machines.”

Google Inside Search: Visit 100 cultural sites in Search. “If travelling is on your mind, Google Search might be your starting place to research, find inspiration, and learn about sites from all over the world. And even though many of us have had to change or cancel our travel plans, it’s still a great time to seek inspiration for our next great adventure. That’s why, with Google Arts & Culture, we’re launching a new virtual tour feature on Google Search for over 100 global museums and cultural sites. You can drop in and explore the Palace of Versailles, the former residence of French kings, or visit the Palace Museum, which Chinese emperors called home for almost 500 years.”

TWEAKS AND UPDATES

TechCrunch: Google has created an AI-powered nightmare creature generator. “Surely the strangest thing to hit Google’s AI blog for at least a month, the Chimera Painter does actually have something like a reason for existing. The team was looking at ways to accelerate the creation of art for games, which is often fantastical and creative. An AI assistant that could produce a reasonable image of, say, an owlbear on the hunt, might be helpful to an artist looking for inspiration.”

The Verge: Keyword search is coming to Instagram. “Instagram users’ ability to search is getting an upgrade. Today, the company announced that English-speaking users in six countries, including the UK, US, Ireland, and Canada, will be able to search the platform using keywords. Before today, they could only search for hashtags or accounts.”

CNET: Twitter slows down rollout of new disappearing Fleets. “Twitter has slowed down the release of its new Fleets feature, saying it needs ‘to fix some performance and stability problems.’ Fleets is Twitter’s attempt to capitalize on the popularity of other social media platforms like Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram by bringing in its own ‘stories’ that disappear within 24 hours.”

USEFUL STUFF

Popular Science: Google Photos is better at image editing than you think. “Depending on what device you’re using to access Google Photos, you’ll find some differences in features and overall look—we’ll flag what you can use and where. But rest assured—when it comes to image editing, this platform is more than enough, no matter the operating system.”

AROUND THE SEARCH AND SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD

Marketing Magazine: Google Lens used to showcase Australian women artists. “Google Lens technology is being used by the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) in an initiative launched to showcase the work of Australian women artists in different locations across the country. The project is a the result of a partnership between the NGA, oOh!Media and Google, and highlights six artists showcased in high-profile out of home sites as part of the gallery’s Know My Name initiative.”

SECURITY & LEGAL

BNN Bloomberg: Google employee calls sexual misconduct settlement a ‘whitewash’. “A Google employee in a court fight with the search company is trying to block a US$310 million settlement to resolve separate litigation over sexual harassment and executive misconduct. The employee, who’s identified in court papers by the pseudonym John Doe, has been sparring with the internet giant for four years over internal policies that he says muzzle staffers who want to speak out about workplace issues.”

Deutsche Welle: Companies plead with EU regulators for action on Google. “On November 12, 165 companies and industry bodies in Europe joined Foundem in penning a letter to EU antitrust regulators pleading for harder action against Google. They say the company is driving them out of business with unfair practices on the Google search results page, a function that is so widely used it is essentially the gateway to the internet.”

RESEARCH & OPINION

Phys .org: Combining data helps birds and bird research . “It hasn’t been more than a year and a half since the international researchers’ network SPI-Birds started officially. Together they collect, secure and use long-term breeding population data of 1.5 million individually recognizable birds… and counting. Big questions in ecology and evolution can be answered using this data.” Good afternoon, Internet…

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