AR/VR

Amazon updates visual search, AR search and more in challenge to Google

🌰 In a Nutshell

Amazon is once again transforming the online shopping landscape, introducing new elements to streamline product search and discovery, rivaling giants like Google and Pinterest. Leveraging enhanced AR functionalities along with image and text-based search capabilities, Amazon promises an unparalleled browsing experience. Here's a snapshot of five exciting updates designed to simplify the customer user journey:

🔑 Key Takeaways

1. Image + Text Search: Ever been stuck trying to find a product whose name escapes you? Amazon's revamped search allows you to combine both images and text for a more precise search. Just snap a picture of the item (or part of it), and add any textual hints or brand names to fine-tune the results.

2. AR Product Visualization: Dive deeper into the virtual showroom experience with the enhanced "View in Your Room" feature. This tool now allows you to visualize not just furniture but even smaller items like appliances and home décor in your actual space, helping you make decisions with confidence.

3. Sales Trend Insights: In addition to the star ratings and best-seller tags, Amazon now provides real-time sales trend data. This insight, displayed on search results and product detail pages, helps you gauge the recent popularity of products, making your shopping experience more informed and enjoyable.

4. Find-on-Amazon Sharing Feature: Stumbled upon a cool product while browsing social media or checking your emails? Use the new Find-on-Amazon feature to directly look for similar products on Amazon's platform. Simply tap "Share" on the product you found online, choose the Amazon Shopping app, and get directed to a range of similar products on Amazon, no detailed description needed.

5. Effortless Reorders: Reordering products is now a breeze with enhanced search functionalities. When you search for items you've bought before, Amazon will highlight them at the top of the search results, complete with the last purchase date and even a thumbnail image for frequently reordered items, facilitating a quicker and smoother repurchase process.

🎯 Why it matters

By enhancing the visual and AR search capabilities, Amazon is not only simplifying product discovery but also taking significant steps to rival the functionalities offered by giants like Google and Pinterest. Furthermore, the updates reflect Amazon's commitment to innovate and improve its core search feature, which until now, relied primarily on keyword search, barcode scanning, and inconsistent photo-based searches.

As Amazon continues to release these changes, it appears to be setting a new benchmark in the e-commerce space, demonstrating a promising future in revolutionizing the online shopping experience.

AI

Snapchat, NYX Conjures AR/AI Beauty Looks With a Hand Wave

Snap teams up with NYX Professional Makeup to introduce "NYX Beauty Bestie", an interactive AR and AI-powered Snapchat experience where users can virtually try on personalized beauty looks with a simple wave of their hand. This tool, set to debut in November, combines artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and gesture control, allowing users to sift through various makeup options curated according to factors like mood, local weather, and personal preference. Additionally, it facilitates easy purchasing of NYX products directly from the app. Resh Sidhu, global director of Arcadia AR Creative Studio at Snap Inc., highlights the future potential of the tool, hinting at features like step-by-step makeup tutorials that transition gesture control from a fun addition to a utility with high practical value. Read more

8-minute read

Thailand’s Second-Biggest Bank Announces $100 Million AI and Web3 Fund

Thailand’s Kasikornbank has launched a $100 million Web3 and artificial intelligence (AI) fund to invest in Asia Pacific’s internet economy, expected to be worth $1 trillion by 2030. In addition to capital, aspiring companies can access corporate resources and insights from the bank’s partners. Read more

ARway ai Selected to Participate at Apple Vision Pro Developer Labs

AI-powered Augmented Reality platform, ARway.ai has been chosen to be part of the esteemed Apple Vision Pro Developer Labs in Cupertino, California. Leveraging Apple's visionOS, which inherently supports the Unity 3D engine and RealityKit, ARway aims to escalate the distribution of its revolutionary indoor navigation and 3D technology within the iOS ecosystem. The collaboration signifies a substantial opportunity for ARway, aligning perfectly with their ongoing efforts towards AR glasses integration and 3D/AR transition, potentially marking a monumental stride in the augmented reality industry. Read more

TECA: Text-Guided Generation and Editing of Compositional 3D Avatars

🌰 In a Nutshell

The research paper presents a novel system for generating realistic 3D facial avatars from text descriptions, enhancing both realism and editability. The team introduces a groundbreaking technique called Text-guided Generation and Editing of Compositional Avatars (TECA), which uses different representations for varying parts of the avatar such as the face, hair, and accessories. This system leverages a blend of traditional 3D meshes and neural radiance fields (NeRF), breaking away from the monolithic approach prevalent in existing methods, consequently facilitating improved realism and seamless transfers of features between avatars.

🔑 Key Takeaways

1. Overcoming Current Limitations: The current techniques in 3D avatar creation face issues with realism and editability, often employing a singular representation for various avatar components. TECA addresses this by using different representations based on the specific structural qualities of each component.

2. Compositional Model: The system employs a compositional model wherein the head, face, and upper body are depicted using traditional 3D meshes, and elements like hair and clothing are represented through NeRFs, allowing complex geometrical and appearance synthesis.

3. Enhanced Realism and Editability: By leveraging model-based mesh representation for facial regions, TECA brings about heightened realism, supporting easy edits to a person's appearance, which includes the seamless transfer of features like hairstyles and accessories between avatars.

4. Applications: This approach notably supports applications like virtual try-on, offering promising avenues in the virtual space.

🎯 Why it matters

The advancements introduced by TECA represent a substantial leap in the field of 3D avatar generation, promising not just superior realism but also unprecedented editability options. The capacity to easily transfer compositional features between avatars opens up new vistas in virtual applications, potentially revolutionizing the virtual shopping experience, gaming, and more. Moreover, by making their resources publicly available, the researchers are fostering further innovation in the community, possibly setting a new standard in 3D avatar creation and editing. This development marks a significant stride towards more immersive and customizable virtual experiences.

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