Engineering « 360Photography

RSS

Posts Tagged ‘Engineering’

VSCO sues PicsArt for allegedly reverse engineering its filters

09 Apr

An exhibit provided in the complaint that shows PicsArt’s Gold subscription platform, which is where VSCO alleges its reverse engineered filters ended up.

Visual Supply Company, more commonly referred to as VSCO, has filed a lawsuit against the creators of PicsArt, a photo editing application, claiming the company reverse engineered a number of its photo filters found in its mobile application.

According to the complaint, filed in the Northern District of California, 17 PicsArt employees created VSCO accounts and used them to reverse engineer at least 19 presets VSCO offers, a violation of the terms of the VSCO app which state users ‘agree not to sell, license, rent, modify, distribute, copy, reproduce, transmit, publicly display, publicly perform, publish, adapt, edit or create derivative works from any VSCO Content.’

VSCO says it attempted to remedy the situation out of court with a letter, sent to PicsArt in February 2019, demanding the company remove the reverse engineered presets from its app, provide accounting records for all profits and revenue made from the presets and identify all of the PicsArt employees who had opened an account with VSCO. PicsArt subsequently said it would remove all of the filters by March 22, 2019, but as of the complaint’s filing date, only 17 had been removed and two new filters PicsArt is publicizing appear to be reverse engineered as well.

An exhibit in the complaint that details a social media post that shows a pair of filters that VSCO claims PicsArt reverse engineered to sell as part of its own subscription service.

Now, PicsArt employees creating VSCO accounts alone isn’t too suspicious, but VSCO appears to have more than suspicion alone to back up its claims. According to the lawsuit:

VSCO’s color scientists have determined that at least nineteen presets published by PicsArt are effectively identical to VSCO presets that are only available through a VSCO account. Specifically, VSCO determined that those PicsArt filters have a Mean Color Difference (“MCD”) of less than two CIEDE2000 units (in some cases, far less than two units) compared to their VSCO counterparts. An MCD of less than two CIEDE2000 units between filters is imperceptible to the human eye and cannot have been achieved by coincidence or visual or manual approximation. On information and belief, PicsArt could have only achieved this degree of similarity between its filters and those of VSCO by using its employees’ VSCO user accounts to access the VSCO app and reverse engineer VSCO’s presets.

PicsArt has denied these allegations, with a spokesperson sharing the following statement with TechCrunch:

VSCO is not a direct competitor, but they clearly feel threatened by PicsArt. VSCO’s claims are meritless. It’s disappointing that they have made these false claims against us. PicsArt will vigorously defend itself against these baseless claims and all options are under consideration.

VSCO doesn’t mention a specific dollar value in the complaint, but asks for ‘compensatory damages, disgorgement of profits, corrective advertising, and costs and attorneys’ fees.’

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Shigley”s mechanical engineering design 10th edition solutions pdf

12 Sep

Proceedings of the Royal Society, all of which affect their hardness. Method shigley’s mechanical engineering design 10th edition solutions pdf reduction of dimensionality in contact and friction mechanics: A linkage between micro and macro scales, J colored diamonds can be screened through the Swiss Gemmological Institute’s Diamond Spotter. It was not until nearly one hundred […]
BooksChantcdCom

Comments Off

Posted in Equipment

Nikon centralizes optical engineering departments from across the business

04 Apr

Nikon Corporation has announced that it is to bring all of its optical engineering facilities under one roof with the establishment of a single division to service the needs of the whole organization. The plan aims to centralize the company’s optical skills from each of its business units so information, technology and knowledge can be shared to make the whole company more effective. The Optical Engineering Division will be under the control of the main Nikon company, Tochigi Nikon Corporation.

The creation of the new division is part of Nikon’s restructuring plan that has seen concerted efforts to streamline the business after its previous restructure didn’t produce the results it needed. Nikon says that optics are its principle strength and this reorganization will help it to make the most of its resources. There is also a suggestion that having all the optical engineering in one place will help the company respond to variances in demand for certain products, which may help to elevate shortages of new releases.

Press release

Establishment of the Optical Engineering Division, aggregating all optical engineering functions to create new value

Nikon Corporation (Kazuo Ushida, President, Tokyo) announced today that the establishment of the Optical Engineering Division on April 1, 2017. Aggregating all the optical engineering functions distributed in each division is intended to create a synergistic effect and enhance multifunctionality, as well as enabling flexible deployment of resources to the area as necessary so as not to miss any business opportunity.

This new Optical Engineering Division is an organization that aggregates lens, mechanical and system engineering functions related to optical equipment and optical solutions. Superior technology and knowledge with respect to optical engineering maintained in each division will now be accumulated and evolved in the Optical Engineering Division to develop optical products that create new value.

In our restructuring plan, announced in November 2016, we decided to restructure our group companies to enhance manufacturing technology of optical components that are our core competence and a differentiator from our competitors. All the functions related to the manufacturing technology of optical components, which were previously owned by Nikon Corporation and our group companies, have now been brought together at Tochigi Nikon Corporation, our consolidated subsidiary, which started operation on February 1, 2017.

In addition to these advances for manufacturing technology of optical components, the newly established Optical Engineering Division will further improve our greatest strength, optical technology, by aggregating optical engineering functions, thereby helping to maximize our products’ competitiveness.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Telemetry: Tessellated Paper Sculptures Marry Art and Engineering

31 Jan

[ By SA Rogers in Art & Sculpture & Craft. ]

matt-shlian-paper-art-1

Abstract geometric paper-based sculpture may seem like an unlikely medium for the expression of scientific principles, but when the artist is also an engineer, there’s an underlying layer of meaning lost on the casual observer. It’s okay if you don’t get what these pieces represent: Matthew Shlian’s tessellations are beautiful to look at, impressive for both their intricate forms and their precision.

matt-shlian-paper-art-a-slow-descent

matt-shlian-paper-art-3

Shlian has a new show called Telemetry currently up at Florida Gulf Coast University as part of the FGCU Art Galleries’ third year of Crossroads: Art and Science Residency and Exhibition. Founder of the Initiative Artist Studio in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the artist creates large-scale installations as well as drawings, and frequently collaborates with scientists at the University of Michigan.

matt-shlian-paper-art-ara-241

matt-shlian-paper-art-ara-199

matt-shlian-paper-art-ara-211

“As a paper engineer, my work is rooted in print media, book arts and commercial design,” says Shlian. “Beginning with an initial fold, a single action causes a transfer of energy to subsequent folds, which ultimately manifest in drawing and three dimensional forms. I use my engineering skills to create kinetic sculpture which have led to collaborations with scientists at University of Michigan.”

matt-shlian-paper-art-2

matt-shlian-paper-art-ara-204

“We work on the nanoscale, translating paper structures to micro folds. Our investigations extend to visualizing cellular division and solar cell development. Researchers see paper engineering as a metaphor for scientific principles; I see their inquiry as a basis for artistic inspiration. In my studio I am a collaborator, explorer and inventor. I begin with a system of folding and at a particular moment the material takes over. Guided by wonder, my work is made because I cannot visualize its final realization; in this way I come to understanding through curiosity.”

[ By SA Rogers in Art & Sculpture & Craft. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

7 Deadly Engineering Disasters of the Industrial Age

23 Apr

[ By Steph in 7 Wonders Series & Travel. ]

Engineering Fails Industrial Era

Messing around with money-saving shortcuts or failing to understand basic physics can have deadly consequences when it comes to engineering structures like suspension bridges, dams, towers and even storage tanks. These 7 historic disasters killed over a thousand people between 1845 and 1940 thanks to shoddy craftsmanship or the unanticipated strain of heavy snow, large crowds and strong winds.

The Great Yarmouth Suspension Bridge Disaster, 1845

Modern Engineering Fail Yarmouth Bridge

79 people, many of them young children, were killed on May 2nd 1845 when the Great Yarmouth Suspension Bridge collapsed under the weight of the crowd that had gathered to watch the stunts of one Nelson the Clown. The widely-advertised event drew people from all over England to watch the performer swim in a barrel drawn by four geese from Haven Bridge to the Suspension Bridge. Three to four hundred people rushed onto the suspension bridge to get a look at him as he passed underneath, and one of the rods gave way, spilling them all into the water. The youngest victims were just two years old.

Pemberton Mill Collapse, 1860

Modern Engineering Failure Pemberton Mill

Considered one of the worst industrial accidents in American history, the sudden collapse of the Pemberton Mill in Massachusetts on January 10th, 1860 killed 145 workers and injured another 166. The five-story textile factory buckled and then collapsed at 5pm on a Tuesday, while everyone was still at work. Attempts to illuminate the wreckage with fire in order to rescue the injured added even more chaos to the situation in the form of rapidly spreading fire. An inquiry found that the calamity could have easily been avoided; the owners had loaded far too much heavy machinery on the upper floors of the factory in order to boost production, and the building wasn’t up to standards in the first place, with cheap and brittle iron pillars and improperly mortared bricks.

St. Mark’s Campanile Crumbles, 1902

Engineering Fail St Mark Campanile

When Venice’s famous St. Mark’s Campanile was struck by lightning, burned and damaged in earthquakes repeatedly over 500 years, it probably would have been best to scrap the whole thing and start over. Instead, they left the base intact and simply rebuilt the damaged parts, occasionally adding more height to the tower that was originally constructed sometime between 1148 and 1157. That wasn’t the greatest idea, given that the tower’s foundation consists of no more than some oak beams on a bed of clay. So it’s no big surprise that the tower finally collapsed on July 14th, 1902. A large crack formed in the morning, rising diagonally across the main corner buttress. Falling stones within the bell chamber prevented any fatalities by warning bystanders that something was amiss. A new tower, with a much sturdier iron foundation, was built in the lost tower’s image.

The Boston Molasses Disaster, 1919

Modern Engineering Fail Boston Molasses Disaster

Drowning in molasses isn’t exactly a pleasant way to die. On January 15th, 1919, a large tank of the sticky stuff burst in the North End neighborhood of Boston, sending a wave rushing through the streets at about 35 miles per hour. The Boston Molasses Disaster killed 21 and injured 50 (along with many animals, including horses), and for many decades afterward, residents claimed they could still smell the molasses on hot days. At the time, molasses was the standard sweetener, and was often fermented to produce alcoholic beverages. The tank was said to be poorly constructed, and witnesses claimed that when it burst, rivets shooting out of it produced a sound like a machine gun.

Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
7 Deadly Engineering Disasters Of The Industrial Age

[ By Steph in 7 Wonders Series & Travel. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Ancient Engineering Fail: 12 Historic Structural Disasters

16 Apr

[ By Steph in Culture & History & Travel. ]

Engineering Fail Main
You can’t exactly fault ancient architects for building structures that were unable to withstand stone-shattering earthquakes, or simply experimental in nature – failure is part of the learning process, after all, and engineering methods were obviously less advanced back then. Big ambitions led to taking big chances, which often resulted in faulty construction and, occasionally, deadly collapses. Here are 13 examples of mistake-riddled churches, statues, lighthouses, stadiums and more from the period between 2600 BCE and the Renaissance.

Bent Pyramid of Egypt

Engineering Fail Bent Pyramid

Why does Egypt’s Bent Pyramid, an unusual example of early pyramid development created around 2600 BCE, have a sudden change in angle about halfway up? Archaeologists believe that what we see today is basically a mistake created during the learning process, in which the builders realized that the steepness of the original angle would be unstable and prone to collapse. The lower portion of the pyramid inclines at an angle of 54 degrees, while the top is a shallower 43 degrees. Another 54-degree pyramid is believed to have collapsed while this one was under construction, leading the builders to suddenly change their plans. Subsequent pyramids in the area were constructed at the 43-degree angle instead.

The Colossus of Rhodes, Greece

Engineering Fail Colossus of Rhodes

One of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the towering Colossus of Rhodes was a statue of the Greek Titan Helios that stood over 98 feet high on a pedestal in the city’s harbor. Erected by Chares of Lindos in 280 BCE to celebrate Rhodes’ victory over Antigonis I Monopthalmus of Cyprus, the statue was among the tallest of the ancient world. The statue stood for 56 years until the 226 BCE Rhodes earthquake, which brought it crashing down. After the oracle of Delphi stated that the Rhodians had offended Helios, they decided not to rebuild.

It’s certainly not surprising that seismic activity would have caused the statue to collapse, given that it was built long, long before any real understanding of earthquake-resistant engineering. But the fact that such a tall structure could have been built in the first place during that time is a wondering itself; modern engineers have speculated about the bronze plates and iron bars that would have been attached to the feet to reinforce them.

The Lighthouse of Alexandria, Egypt

Engineering Fail Lighthouse Alexandria

Another ancient wonder, the Lighthouse of Alexandria stood somewhere between 393 and 450 feet in height, making it among the tallest structures on earth for centuries. But the limestone structure, completed between 280 and 247 BCE on the island of Pharos, couldn’t stand up to three earthquakes spread out over four hundred years. It likely lost its upper tier before the first one struck in the year 956 CE, and by the third disaster in 1323, it was abandoned. What was left of it was covered with a medieval fort in 1480.

Fidenae Amphitheater Collapse, Italy

Engineering Fail Fidenae Ampthitheater

20,000 people were killed or wounded in the worst stadium disaster in history, which occurred in 27 AD at the Fidenae Ampthitheater about 8 miles north of Rome. The structure was cheaply built of wood and not up to the task of accommodating the 50,000 people who amassed to watch gladiatorial games after a ban on them was lifted. The Roman Senate decided that too many lower class people were ruining everyone’s fun, so they banned anyone with a personal worth under a certain amount from attending the events.

Circus Maximus Upper Tier Collapse, Italy

Engineering Fail Circus Maximus

Built in the 6th century BCE, the infamous Circus Maximus was an ancient Roman chariot racing stadium capable of holding 250,000 spectators who gathered to watch the Roman Games and gladiator fights, and later, the races. The oldest and largest public space in Rome, and has been in near-constant use every since, with its latest incarnation as a public park and space for events like concerts and festivals. But in 140AD, it was the site of a major disaster: the upper tier of seats collapsed under the weight of too many spectators. 1,112 people were killed in what remains the deadliest sports-related incident in history.

Next Page – Click Below to Read More:
Ancient Engineering Fail 12 Historic Structural Disasters

[ By Steph in Culture & History & Travel. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Engineering a Dream: Benjamin Von Wong profile, part 2

15 Mar

In part 1 of our interview with Montreal-based photographer Benjamin Von Wong we asked him about his transition from mining engineer to full-time photographer. In part 2, Von Wong talks about how some of his more famous images were created. Follow the links below to read the concluding part of our interview and take a look at more of Von Wong’s dramatic photographs. Learn more

News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Engineering a Dream: Benjamin Von Wong profile, part 1

08 Mar

Benjamin Von Wong describes himself as a combination photographer, producer, artist, visual engineer and, perhaps more than anything, a storyteller. Few of the stories the Montreal-based shooter has to tell are not quite as fantastic as the one that describes his own ascent to fame in the photo world. In part 1, we talk to Ben about his rapid rise to fame and how he transitioned from his day job to a full-time photography career. Learn more

News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

Comments Off

Posted in Uncategorized

Engineering Marvel: The Mysterious Ruins of Nan Madol

19 Feb

[ By Steph in Global & Travel & Places. ]

Mysterious Ruins of Nan Madol 1

The only ancient city ever built upon a coral reef, Nan Madol is a marvel of ancient engineering so complex, no one can figure out how it was conceived and built starting in the 8th or 9th century CE. Nan Madol is located off the island of Pohnpei in the present-day Federated States of Micronesia in the western Pacific Ocean, and consists of nearly 100 small artificial islands bordered by tidal canals.

Mysterious Ruins of Nan Madol 2

The people who built it – the Saudeleur – ruled these islands for more than a millennium, yet there is nothing left of them but legend and the crumbling black basalt ruins. No art, no carvings, no writing. They were known to be deeply religious, tyrannical and cruel, and the remains of their civilization are often viewed with fear and superstition by modern-day Pohnpeians.

Mysterious Ruins of Nan Madol 3

The Nahnmwarki people, who overthrew the last Saudeleur leader and killed the islands’ inhabitants, found themselves unable to withstand the difficult lifestyle of living at Nan Madol, which required food and fresh water to be brought over from the main island.

Mysterious Ruins of Nan Madol 4

The ruins have been abandoned for hundreds of years. Often called the Venice of the Pacific, Nan Madol’s canals and islands were constructed starting in the 8th century, but its most iconic megalithic architecture came later, in the 12th and 13th centuries. Historians and archaeologists don’t know how the giant stones were transported and lifted into place; most Pohnpeians still believe the lore that credits magical flying abilities for the city’s construction. Another folktale tells of giants large and strong enough to move the rocks.

Mysterious Ruins of Nan Madol 5

The total weight of the black rocks that make up the city’s construction is estimated at 750,000 metric tons, an average of 1,850 tons a year over four centuries. The basalt ‘logs’ that make up the high walls can weight as much as 50 tons each. What’s even more mysterious is the Saudeleurs didn’t have pulleys, levers or metal to aid in the process.

Mysterious Ruins of Nan Madol 6

Unlike the similar ruins of Easter Island, Nan Madol is not a significant tourist draw, mostly due to the face that it has not yet been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Through this designation, Nan Madol would receive the funding necessary to rehabilitate the ruins and support a new tourism industry.

Images via wikimedia commons + CT Snow

[ By Steph in Global & Travel & Places. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]

WebUrbanist

Comments Off

Posted in Creativity

Engineering Marvel: The Mysterious Ruins of Nan Madol

08 Feb

[ By Steph in Global & Travel & Places. ]

Mysterious Ruins of Nan Madol 1

Mysterious Ruins of Nan Madol 2

Mysterious Ruins of Nan Madol 3

Mysterious Ruins of Nan Madol 4

Mysterious Ruins of Nan Madol 5

Mysterious Ruins of Nan Madol 6

Images via wikimedia commons + CT Snow

360Photography

Posts Tagged ‘Engineering’

VSCO sues PicsArt for allegedly reverse engineering its filters

Shigley”s mechanical engineering design 10th edition solutions pdf

Nikon centralizes optical engineering departments from across the business

Establishment of the Optical Engineering Division, aggregating all optical engineering functions to create new value

Telemetry: Tessellated Paper Sculptures Marry Art and Engineering