A look back at some of the most exciting moments & innovations Tech Trends covered in 2018!

Cryptocurrency

Crypto is crashing – or so the experts say –  but it is not going away, so Tech Trends was excited to welcome on board our very own FinTech wizard Richard Andrews who kicked off his soon to be regular series last month.

Is Cryptocurrency on the verge of going mainstream?

Image by MichaelWuensch from Pixabay

During the bull run of 2017/18, coins could pump 50% on little more than a tweet of a conference announcement or a trivial code release. The principles of decentralisation and innovation were king and governments, financial services and regulation of any kind the public enemy of this bright new decentralised future. But after the parabolic rise of 2017 and the sharp sell-off of 2018 investor sentiment has reversed dramatically in the hope that these same institutions can restore their fortunes.

Hopes of greater institutional participation hinge on the Bitcoin ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) allowing institutional investors to participate in the market without the risks of holding Bitcoin directly
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Hopes of greater institutional participation have largely hinged on the prospect of a Bitcoin ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) which would allow private and institutional investors to participate in the market without the risks of holding Bitcoin directly. A good comparison is the well-established GLD ETF that provides exposure to gold without holding it under the mattress. However, this approach has so far proved disappointing due to rejections and delays by the US Securities and Exchange Committee (SEC). Read his full article here.

Mixed Reality

HoloLens subscription service spurring immersive tech adoption

Since the HoloLens was first released almost three years ago, Microsoft has steadily been building partnerships and demonstrating an array of industry use cases across manufacturing, engineering, healthcare, education and many others.

Rather than place users in a fully computer-generated world, as virtual reality does, HoloLens allows them to put 3D digital models in the room alongside them. As the Windows-10-based product does not have wires or external cameras or require a phone or PC connection, users can walk around the objects they create and interact with them using gestures, gaze and voice. This tends to make it well suited for onsite industrial applications.

While many large companies have adopted mixed reality and HoloLens applications, the $3,000 price tag of the device has been perceived as a barrier for adoption among smaller players
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Yet while many large companies have adopted mixed reality and enthusiastically evangelized about the efficiency gains that they achieved with HoloLens applications, the $3,000 price tag of the device has been perceived as a barrier for adoption among smaller players, who understandably aren’t sure that the ROI would be justified in onboarding the technology at this relatively early stage. Read the full article here.

Health Tech

Epilepsy consortium believes technology could save the NHS £250 million a year

Today, up to one in 100 people in the UK are believed to suffer from epilepsy, leading to three per cent of all Accident and Emergency visits and a total of 1.3 million days in hospital a year. It’s a challenging condition to manage, particularly as existing medication only works for up to 70 per cent of sufferers. Of those who do not respond to medication, most are not suitable for invasive surgery, leaving many to continue to experience unpredictable and potentially life-threatening seizures. New research by Public Health England (PHE) has found a 70% rise in the number of deaths of epilepsy patients between 2001 and 2014. PHE said there was a need to improve the clinical management of patients and make improvements to their wider health by tackling smoking, alcohol intake and poor diet.

The programme provides patients with wearable technology that records vital health data to help clinicians build a tailored record of a patient’s condition and seizure patterns
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This is what myCareCentric Epilepsy consortium – funded by Innovate UK and comprised of Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Kent, System C & Graphnet Care Alliance and Shearwater Systems – is hoping to do by equipping people with the ability to self-manage their condition. Running on Microsoft’s cloud platform Azure, the programme provides patients with wearable technology that records vital health data to help clinicians build a tailored record of a patient’s condition and seizure patterns. It has the potential to learn to classify seizures; to alert clinicians and carers in real-time so they can consult patients remotely, and provide essential lifestyle recommendations and drug prescriptions. Read the full article here.

A Tragic Loss to Science

Stephen Hawking taught us about about life, the universe, and everything

I once met Professor Stephen Hawking as he was coming out of the elevator at the John Lewis store in Cambridge (UK – The original one), where we both lived at the time. And although I’ll admit this might be far from the most interesting Stephen Hawking story out there, it’s still one of my favourites. Being in his presence was an incredible feeling. I felt ridiculously honoured to have bumped into him in this ordinary shop.

Now, after his death, I feel much the same way about having had the honour of sharing the same time-space with him. In an age of fake news, President Trump and imminent Brexit, he was our steadfast voice of reason. Right to the end, he advocated for the things he felt passionate about, such as defending the National Health Service against the likes of Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt who – with a level of misguided arrogance I can’t begin to comprehend – actually chose to argue with him (with entirely predictable results).

In an age of fake news, President Trump and imminent Brexit, Professor Stephen Hawking was our steadfast voice of reason
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And all this he achieved with wit, wisdom, and a wicked sense of humour, which endeared him to millions around the world. When combined with the inspiring way in which he defied an illness that should have killed him and transcended the disability which left him only able to move a few muscles on his face, he is indeed a formidably inspirational figure. Read the full article here.

Virtual Reality

PokerStars brings online poker to a truly immersive social VR experience

Tech Extremes

Ninja tech skills can come in handy even onboard an Antarctic research ship

A research trip around the Antarctic gave a Software Engineer Carles Pina i Estany a new perspective on how the very product he helped build was being used by scientists. Aboard a research vessel thousands of miles from shore and the nearest reliable Internet connection, these modern explorers routinely relied on Mendeley to do their work, even in subzero temperatures.

A research trip around the Antarctic gave a Software Engineer Carles Pina i Estany a new perspective on how the very product he helped build was being used by scientists
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The opportunity to take part in this unique expedition came when Carles’ partner, Jen Thomas, was invited to become Data Manager on a research trip led by the newly created Swiss Polar Institute, which has a mission to connect researchers active in polar or extreme environments, promotes public awareness of these environments, and facilitates access to research facilities in those extreme environments. As they were short of an IT person and Carles was already on a sabbatical from his work at Elsevier – during which he had already planned to travel around the world – he seized the opportunity to fulfil a longstanding ambition to take part in a polar expedition. Read the full article here.

Ted Talks with Zebra

Accessible design in the age of Industry 4.0

Earlier this month Tech Trends attended our first TEDSalon in New York! Presented by Zebra Technologies and TED the session theme was ‘The Next Wave’ and focused on the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is bringing a tsunami of change that will dramatically affect how we interact with and adapt to technology. The ways we choose to ride this wave will determine the shape of our future. Will we use this as an opportunity to solve our most pressing issues, or allow it to become a calamity that divides us? Hosted by TED’s Bryn Freedman, five speakers and one performer explored the tools and expertise we’ll harness to build the future

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is bringing a tsunami of change that will dramatically affect how we interact with and adapt to technology
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The evening included fascinating presentations from experts on the woeful state of America’s election systems and how technology can help, and how we need to change the way we learn if AI is part of the process. Zebra’s own design technologist James Morley-Smith took inspiration from how his disabled son Fintan learned piano starting with the black keys (the opposite of the traditional method) to guide his designs. In his work at Zebra, Morley-Smith designs for employees who are often in noisy, poorly lit industrial settings and clad in bulky protective gear. By following the black-keys tactic, he’s factoring in users’ limitations from the get-go, much like the idea of accessible product design championed by Microsoft at this year’s Build Conference. Read the full article here.

Sex Tech

Porn legend Ron Jeremy sees VR as the future of the adult industry 

Every 5 minutes, Pornhub transmits more data than the entire contents of the New York Public library’s 50 million books. Pornhub’s yearly review of trends reveals that in 2017 a total of 3,732 Petabytes of porn data was streamed, which makes for 7,101 GB per minutes and 118 GB per second.

In 2017 a total of 3,732 Petabytes of porn data was streamed, which makes for 7,101 GB per minutes and 118 GB per second
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And a man who significantly contributed to those gigantic volumes of traffic is Ron Jeremy, an AVN Hall of Famer with over 2,000 films under his belt. Jeremy is the Guinness Book of Records holder for Most Appearances in Adult Films and a big believer in VR Porn. So much so that he’s now put his money where his mouth is and launched RonJeremyVR, a premium service hosting VR films directed by the big man himself.

Every 5 minutes, Pornhub transmits more data than the entire contents of the New York Public library’s 50 million books
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So where are we in this new age of online VR thrills? According to the Pornhub Year in Review 2017 report:

“Virtual Reality Porn continues to gain in popularity, moving up 14 spots on the list from 2016. Cheerleaders came back with a bang, moving up 366 slots and into our top 20 searches of the year. VR devices were a popular holiday gift, and it seems that porn was one of the first things people wanted to try out with their new headsets. After the New Year, average daily views remained much higher than the pre-Christmas levels at around half a million per day.”

With the demand for streaming porn continuing to grow, this data suggests that Ron is indeed on to a real winner
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With the demand for streaming porn continuing to grow, this data suggests that Ron is indeed on to a real winner.  Read the full chat with Ron here.

Internet of Things

IoT and the connected home have yet to fulfil their promise

IFA this year was much like previous years, hundreds of companies screaming from the rooftops about minimally iterative products. A few more pixels, a bit bigger screen, a bit faster processor and everything a bit thinner, oh and crap Robots. I love tech and love my gadgets and can geek out with the best of them but I attended IFA this time looking for more meaningful innovation than a bit better camera on an $800 smartphone. I am happy to report that I found it, but not where you might expect.

A decade ago the invention of the smartphone changed our lives but truly new products like this are few and far between, so every year companies try to reinvent what we already have through minor upgrades and tweaks. We are stuck in a loop where the market is slowly evolving but no real innovation is going on, and the largest companies in the world are all guilty of this lack of effort to progress, so we must start looking off the beaten track for those that are truly working to innovate.

The largest companies in the world are all guilty of this lack of effort to progress so we must start looking off the beaten track for innovation
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Thought sustainably producing high-quality, smart and connected home products @Beko can democratise technology
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IoT and the connected home has been much discussed and I have seen some interesting concepts and even a few eyebrow-raising products but it is not yet in our homes, changing the way we live, and judging from the hundreds of pathetic, unimaginative and almost useless ‘innovative IoT products’ on display at IFA 2018, it’s not going to happen any time soon. But Turkish behemoth Beko, makers of reasonably priced kitchen appliances, held a press conference to announce their technology strategy and issued a white paper on the future of technology in the home and impressed me with their assessment of how new, innovative technologies in our kitchens can improve our lives and can do it affordably and in the not-too-distant future. Read the full article here.

Well, it’s been a very exciting year for technology, and we’re off to play with our gadgets, but be sure to check back with us right after Christmas as we boldly go where no one has gone before in 2019…

Merry Christmas from TECH TRENDS!

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post A Year in Tech: 2018 Recap appeared first on Tech Trends.

Playing online Poker is great, but it can get even better with some help from modern-day tech. From having the proper noise-cancelling headphones to owning a travel-friendly cigar humidor, here are ten things that will bring your game to a whole new level.

Sony WH-1000XM2

These are some of the best headphones for 2018

Poker is a mind game that requires concentration and nerves of steel. That’s why many players opt for listening to some tunes to block distracting background noise and annoying opponents. One of the best options for your poker adventures is the Sony WH-1000XM2. These headphones provide the ultimate audiophile nirvana. They are wireless, noise-cancelling and can run for up to 30 hours — enough for several poker sessions. One of the best features for poker players, save for the excellent sound, is that you can silence the music just by holding your hand over the right ear cup — which is quite useful if you need to hear the dealer’s instructions. The headphones also come with a quick-charge feature, giving you access to over an hour of playtime with a ten-minute charge.

Poker is great on its own, but it can get even better with some help from modern-day tech!
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Bose SoundTrue Ultra

Bose’s SoundTrue Ultra, an excellent option for out in public

Going to public places with bulky over-the-head headphones is now trendy, yet it’s not a style for everybody. Bose SoundTrue Ultra is perfect for those times when you need your music without looking like you are wearing antlers. The earbuds are noise-cancelling and among this year’s top picks when it comes to earbud sound quality. What makes this pair even better is the StayHear — an attachment system that creates a secure fit in the ears without having to jam the buds in your ear canal. Bose’s SoundTrue Ultra comes in versions for the Android and Apple, with both options available in black or grey — neutral colours to go with any style.

Going to public places with bulky over-the-head headphones is now trendy, yet it’s not a style for everybody. Bose SoundTrue Ultra is perfect for those times when you need your music without looking like you are wearing antlers
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Samsung Galaxy S9+

The S9+ is one of the best Android phones on the market

Every top poker platform is now offering mobile gaming. And it’s no wonder given the high demand for portable entertainment. If you are the type that likes to play poker on the go, you need a mobile device that can provide lag-free gaming on as big of a display as possible. Right now, your best bet is the Galaxy S9+. Everything about this phone is excellent — the processor, the memory, the battery and especially, the 4K 6.2 in Super AMOLED display. If you must get a game-ready phone, the S9+ is a No-brainer. However, there is a consensus among the tech sphere that those who can wait until 2019 for the S10’s release should do so.

If you are the type that likes to play poker on the go, you need a mobile device that can provide lag-free gaming on as big of a display as possible
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Smartphones are already a preferred gaming device, surpassing even computers

Anker PowerCore II

This Anker power bank is light and compact as well as has enough to charge most phones twice

The smartphone race has resulted in some space-age tech, but one area where manufacturers are yet to show something wowing is in battery life. All the extras that top-level smartphones come with — fast processors, bright colour-rich displays and powerful cameras — are power black holes. To avoid getting the dreaded low-battery message while playing on the go, you’ll need a portable power bank. The Anker PowerCore II fits the profile due to its slim and lightweight design, which holds 10,000mAh of energy. The battery also comes with a quick-charging feature, too.

All the extras that top-level smartphones come with — fast processors, bright colour-rich displays and powerful cameras — are power black holes
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Oculus Go

VR poker is still in its infancy, but it’s likely that it’ll only get better

What if you want the casino experience but without visiting one? And without tripping on a bunch of cables? Then the Oculus Go is for you. Online poker operators are getting into the virtual reality (VR) space with several platforms already offering VR poker, though so far, the experience is limited. Still, VR seems to be here to stay, with more actors paying attention to immersive tech, so it’s only logical that playing poker with a VR headset will be getting better and with the Oculus Go, you can play as the name suggests — on the go. The device is fully standalone, with a controller and a battery that lasts for two hours.

With the Oculus Go, you can play as the name suggests — on-the-go. The device is fully standalone, with a controller and a battery that lasts for two hours
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Google Wifi

Google Wifi provides a stable connection, wide coverage and a user-friendly interface

We covered the basics of playing on the go, so let’s turn to what you’ll need for enjoyable at-home sessions. Playing online poker requires a stable connection to the web. Imagine being on a winning streak, only to lose everything because your connection dropped. Thankfully, Google has come up with one of the best Wi-Fi mesh routers on the market. You can opt for one device or go as high as six for up to 9,000 sq ft of coverage. The setup is as simple as it gets, and you only need to access your smartphone to have Google Wifi up and running. The device requires a consistent connection to a Google account, which is a minor inconvenience, but will provide added security.

Playing online poker requires a stable connection to the web. Imagine being on a winning streak, only to lose everything because your connection dropped
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Secretlab OMEGA 2018

This chair lets you play comfortably like a pro gamer, and you can even nap on it

If you are going to play at home for long stretches of time, you’ll need a comfortable chair. Many players report that playing in bed makes them lazy and sloppy while chairs give them back problems. So, to achieve the best experience, get yourself a high-quality gaming chair such as the Secretlab OMEGA 2018. The Racing-style chair boasts a beautiful design in seven colour combinations. The upholstery is made of luxuriously looking PU leather, there are head and lumbar pillows, and the mechanisms allow flexible adjustments. On top of that, the backrest can be fully reclined for when you need to nap in between play session.

The upholstery is made of luxurious looking PU leather, there are head and lumbar pillows, and the mechanisms allow flexible adjustments. On top of that, the backrest can be fully reclined for when you need to nap in between hands
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Fizzics

Fizzics provides a tap experience in an ultra-portable device

Now that you’ve covered the basics of your home game experience, it’s time to think about the details. Indulging in alcohol while playing poker is not advisable and something that poker pros avoid, but there’s nothing wrong with having a drink on the side. And because poker can be quite exhausting, why not pamper yourself with a device that’ll make any ordinary beer taste as it has come from the tap? You can do that with Fizzics. The device uses a two-step system (including sound waves) to boost your brew’s taste and aroma. It is portable, operates on AA batteries and doesn’t require unique cartridges, so you can take it to your hotel room next time you try your skills at a live tournament.

Indulging in alcohol while playing poker is not advisable and something that poker pros avoid, but there’s nothing wrong with having a drink on the side
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Johnnie Walker: Alexa Skill

Johnnie Walker’s Alexa skill brings a fresh perspective on whiskey

For something more refined, you can’t go wrong with sipping on a good whiskey. The key here is to enjoy it slowly as a mild relaxant, not to get wasted and blow your money away. Here, too, tech can help you have a more enjoyable experience. You can do that if you have Alexa and a taste for Johnnie Walker. The Scotch-making company created an Alexa skill that can guide you through choosing the best label, enrich your knowledge about the drink and even navigate you through tasting whiskey as a connoisseur. Find out more about Johnnie Walker and Amazon Alexa here.

Johnnie Walker created an Alexa skill that can guide you through choosing the best label, enrich your knowledge about the drink and even navigate you through tasting whiskey as a connoisseur
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Davidoff Travel Humidor

With Davidoff’s Travel Humidor you can safely bring your cigars along when you travel

To go all-in, you need a good cigar to go with that whiskey. But good cigars need proper care, which is a challenge if you’d like to enjoy them while travelling. Davidoff’s Travel Humidor solves this problem with a look that combines style with functionality. The device was made with the traveller in mind and is lightweight and compact enough to fit into your luggage. The box holds eight cigars, keeps them fresh for up to three weeks and provides air-tightness that keeps humidity at an optimal level.

To go all-in, you need a good cigar to go with that whiskey. But good cigars need proper care!
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Poker is a battle of the minds, and the one that is most in tune is most likely to come out on top. None of the stuff on this list will guarantee you a triumph at the felt table. But playing in a comfortable setting can give you just the edge that you need to outsmart your opponents.

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post The Tech That Every Poker Player Should Own appeared first on Tech Trends.

Played poker before? Not like this, you haven’t! The world’s leading poker brand, PokerStars, has combined live and online poker in a truly immersive & social VR experience.

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post PokerStars VR is Something New appeared first on Tech Trends.

Poker and data visualisation show the future of the game in the digital age.

Sport is increasingly an industry that embraces technology and innovation, maybe not convincingly when it comes to Football’s goal-line tech and video assistant referees (VAR) but all sorts of sports have bumped their broadcasts up to 4k+ or even 360 video and all offer data heavy and detailed on screen and online interactivity. On my recent trip to France to check out Dimension Data’s rider tracking tech for the Tour de France I saw the exciting technical solutions, expense and effort companies and broadcasters go to engage viewers through data, and we’ve also spotted and covered this trend in other sports such as rowing and sailing recently.

Of course, fans want to be more engaged with the sports and games they love via TV, mobile and online communities and as I found out at the European Poker Tour Barcelona held at the Casino Barcelona last month, PokerStars is a company on a mission to offer Poker fans more.

Sport is increasingly an industry that embraces technology and innovation
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Even for knowledgeable fans, there are a lot of details and quick-fire action that @PokerStars want everyone to be able to easily engage with
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I had never played Poker, or more specifically Texas Holdem when I sat down for the Media Rep Poker Tournament and found out what a fast game it is and how hard it can be for the uninitiated to follow. More than half the time I didn’t know what the heck was going on and I was sitting at the table! Even for knowledgeable fans, there are a lot of details and quick-fire action that PokerStars want everyone to be able to easily engage with. They have seen their online viewing numbers jump in the last couple of years, so I was interested in how they used technology to help make such a  quick and complex game attractive to a broader audience.

The key to getting an audience into a game of Poker is to show them the player's hands, live as the cards are played and as the chips are bet
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The key to getting an audience into a game is to show them the player’s hands, live as the cards are played and as the chips are bet. To find out how they do this Tech Trends chatted to Jonathan Zincke, Senior Producer of PokerStars’ live broadcast team and found out a few tricks of the trade.

In the old days there was a spy camera in the table edge in front of each player and someone used to take a video still of the cards as they looked at them and manually type in the information that appeared on screen, now it is all automatic. The technology we use is RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification), every card has a chip in it. They are standard Casino cards, we don’t do anything special to them, but they cost about £80 a pack because of the chips. Each card’s chip is individual in the world so no two cards are the same anywhere. Explained Zincke. The tables are custom built for us with the readers embeded in and it only takes a second for the table to read the player’s cards. It’s commonly available tech that you can buy anywhere, all the technology in the tables is off the shelf but under the table the data is encrypted and secured. If you tried to hack into it, it would take a long time to even get the data for one card by which time it would be useless as the games are quick.

As I found while playing my fellow journalists the speed of the games was a surprise so keeping the viewers updated live is vital and covering a room full of tables is a challenge.

We started using RFID about five or six years ago and what is cool for us is this technology allows us to switch quickly between different tables during broadcast and show all the action going on, before RFID we couldn’t do that. The encrypted data travels along a fibre cable to our graphics system we had custom coded and built. This reads all the cards on the table, the hands the players hold and the flop cards in the middle, there is a sensor there as well. We have televised all sorts of games, fun games streamed on Twitch, the $100K games and of course the main events.

The encrypted data travels along a fibre cable to our graphics system we had custom coded and built
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Online games are popular with viewers who want to watch and learn the game or follow players they admire
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Live games with upcoming amateurs and celebrity players are very popular but a huge part of what PokerStars offer is online Poker, enabling players from all over the world to play together. These online games are also popular with viewers who want to watch and learn the game or follow players they admire. The Twitch platform is perfect for these broadcasts as it is optimised for streaming video and full of social tools, so unsurprisingly PokerStars is looking to innovate there too.

What we have looked at is how to superimpose graphics in a virtual way. We have looked at this but the technology isn’t quick enough at the moment for live use. We have started experimenting with live overlays for players on Twitch, so our system will send our game data to some code the guys at Twitch have written for us which will put up a chip count that the viewer can hover over a little widget in the corner of the screen and bring up an overlay graphic. We are looking at this and what other stats we can release, info that doesn’t interupt the casual viewer but is there for the knowledgeable person that wants a little bit more engagement with the details of the game. For the different levels of players and viewers, we want to cater to all types of fans and players.

Watch live video from PokerStarsFrance on www.twitch.tv

I have embedded a PokerStars France Twitch feed above and you can see how involving it is. With the interest in Poker growing like never before channels like this are pulling in new audiences from all over the globe and PokerStars are always looking at new tech and what it might offer to enhance the audience’s experience.

What we have looked at is how to superimpose graphics in a virtual way
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PokerStars are always looking at new tech and what it might offer to enhance the audience's experience
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When I looked at Dimension Data’s use of GPS tracking in the Tour de France 2018 I was amazed how much relevant info they could pull from only GPS data so I was keen to see how PokerStars might do the same and extrapolate more interesting and engaging stories from the existing RFID tech they use.

There is talk about using RFID tagged chips, we have discussed it at PokerStars as Casinos already use RFID to track chips, so we have looked at this, so when a player moves their chips we could have another reader there and however many chips were moved registers as the bet. Each reader would be on a different frequency so the card readers wouldn’t get confused with the chip readers. It’s extremely expensive so hasn’t been introduced yet but is quite cool, what you can do then is not only track the chips at a certain table for the TV or Twitch broadcast but track all the chips at a tournament giving you loads of data which would tell you details like who is the chip leader at that time. All the viewers and journalists could tap into that and have the up to date info instantly.

Tech Trends is convinced that for sports, gaming, gambling, media and data companies like FIFA, PokerStars and Dimension Data, learning how to use all this data to tell new and exciting stories that engage viewers in the digital age is the future of entertainment. All these seemingly different sectors are now on the brink of merging into broader entities as data starts to drive the entertainment and sports industries. One issue that will no doubt keep the lawyers busy is access and ownership of the data they gather and use, but from what Jonathan already sees in the data PokerStars keeps private, those could be very powerful stories indeed.

Learning how to use all this data to tell new and exciting stories that engage viewers in the digital age is the future of entertainment
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Obviously a lot of the data we have back there we aren’t able to show the public but for us we can see the type of cards that are played and how they are played. If you see 140 hands of Poker in a day you can see the way a certain player plays an ace, or a pocket pair and then you can look into how they bet in relation to those cards which is quite interesting.

Quite interesting indeed! Watch this space for some very exciting news later this month as PokerStars take on the latest and greatest digital medium!

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post Poker in the 21st Century appeared first on Tech Trends.

When the chips are down Tech Trends is there.

Tech Trends is at PokerStars European Poker Tour Barcelona this weekend on the blazing hot Mediterranean coast to see how the high stakes and high rolling world of cards is taking advantage of new technology to engage its audience. Sponsored by PokerStars.es this event is part of a much larger European Poker Tour organised by PokerStars that includes Sochi, Monte Carlo & Prague.

Check out the action for yourself on PokerStars TV and watch out for more from the event on Tech Trends over the next few days and if I haven’t lost my passport along with my shirt I will be back in the office Monday.

EPT Barcelona Festival Dates: August 21-September 2, 2018

Play this event for the chance to win one of TEN Platinum Pass packages to the PokerStars Players NL Hold’em Championship worth $30,000 each!

Here’s how you could win a Platinum Pass in the EPT Main Event:

– Win the EPT Main Event
– Be the longest lasting qualifier in the Main Event (both live and online qualifiers are eligible)
– Win the crazy pineapple hand challenge*

Here’s how you could win a Platinum Pass in the EPT National:

– Win the EPT National
– Win the crazy pineapple hand challenge*

Here’s how you could win a Platinum Pass in the EPT Cup:

– Win the EPT Cup
– Win the crazy pineapple hand challenge*

Platinum Pass packages will also be awarded via the following methods:

– One Platinum Pass added to tournament #25 – PSPC Package Qualifier
– One Platinum Pass awarded for the crazy pineapple hand in tournament #23*
– One Platinum Pass awarded for the crazy pineapple hand in tournament #28*

Key Dates & Event Info

See below for key tournament dates.

– EPT National: August 22-26 – €1,100
– EPT Super High Roller: August 25-26 – €100,000
– EPT Main Event: August 27-September 2 – €5,300
– EPT High Roller: August 31-September 2 – €10,300

As well as exciting action at the tournament tables, all attendees can benefit from the following:

– Win a PokerStars Players NL Hold’em Championship Platinum Pass worth $30,000!
– StarsFun activities
– The chance to meet Team PokerStars Pros
– Players’ party including guests
– Free players’ merchandise

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post PokerStars Ups The Ante With Technology appeared first on Tech Trends.

New technology will combine sensors with AI to read subtle signals from the body and analyse context to read emotions

Dolby Laboratory scientist Poppy Crum recently spoke at a TED conference in Vancouver regarding an upcoming technology that will be able to read human emotions. The technology will utilize sensors and AI in order to detect hidden feelings – everything from lies to infatuations. This cutting-edge tech is able to recognize a number of brain and body signals, turning sensor data into an analysis of emotional state.

Humans Broadcast Emotions

The underlying concept behind the new technology is that humans broadcast emotion. It’s something that we do all of the time, knowingly and unknowingly. Subtle signals are sent and received between us to indicate what we are feeling.

Eye dilation is an indicator of brain activity. Heat from the skin can be a sign of stress or even romantic inclination. Chemicals in the breath can reveal feeling; for example, the amount of CO2 exhaled in a breath can indicate aggression. Have you ever had your head in the clouds while pretending you’re listening to someone? Brain waves can show whether you are really paying attention. Even the timing of certain speech patterns can reveal signs that a person has bipolar disorder or dementia.

Subtle signals are sent and received between us to indicate what we are feeling. Eye dilation is an indicator of brain activity. Heat from the skin can be a sign of stress or even romantic inclination
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The End of The Poker Face

The upcoming technology can read these subtle signals from the body while the AI works to analyse patterns and factor in context to make more accurate interpretations of what the signals mean. Crum describes it as “the end of the poker face”. The technology will be able to read the stone cold faces of even the most talented poker players. Anyone planning to hide the subtle signals can think again!

Products are due to be released that include emotion-reading rooms, smart speakers and other accessories. Similar AI technology also exists. Alex Potamianos from Behavioural Signals is involved with a new technology that analyses emotions from speech. The “speech-to-emotion” AI can tell if you are happy, angry or feeling sassy, all by listening to your speech. Existing AI technology like Google Assistant is already quite impressive and is learning all the time.

Poppy Crum describes it as “the end of the poker face”. The technology will be able to read the stone cold faces of even the most talented poker players. Anyone planning to hide the subtle signals can think again!
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Scary and Powerful

Poppy Crum describes the new technology as being both scary and powerful – having the potential to be used for both good and bad. It could be used to understand each other better or to oppress and manipulate. Like all technology, it is a double-edged sword that needs to be wielded extremely wisely.

The world Crum imagines is one in which the emotional divide between people can be bridged. Crum envisions a world where counsellors can understand the emotions of their clients more quickly (and know how to act), police can read signals of aggression, and artists can see the emotional reaction that an audience has to their work. Instead of scanning through dating apps, you could scan people to see if they are interested (okay, it sounds scary again now). Crucially, rules must be set to make sure the technology cannot be misused.

Instead of scanning through dating apps, you could scan people to see if they are interested (okay, it sounds scary again now). Crucially, rules must be set to make sure the technology cannot be misused
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What do you think about the idea of AI scanning for emotion? Can and will it be used for the benefit of understanding and empathy, or are there simply too many possible misuses to trust it? How does it make you feel to know the new ‘data’ this technology will capture will be the data of raw human emotion?

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

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