The establishment of "to Google" as an everyday verb shows how deeply search engines have become entwined in our lives. Sometimes, however, we can't find the words we need to search for something. We might see a plant, tree or flower and wonder what it's called, but what do we type in? A mysterious building or landmark might offer no clue to its identity, and leave us stumped for a search term. If we see a piece of furniture or clothing and want to buy something similar, the chances of finding the right item by typing "grey sofa" or "red shoes" are slim. All these scenarios, however, are perfectly suited to the fast-growing world of visual search. We don't ask the questions, cameras do, by presenting an image. The search engine then returns information, similar images or price details – and they're getting better at doing so by the day.
In recent months, Google has slowly promoted its visual search tool, Google Lens, from a hidden-away feature in its Photos app to something a lot more visible. This week it popped up in the Google search app on iPhones, with a camera icon prominently displayed next to the text input field. Pressing that icon activates Lens immediately, and on my desk it identified a brand of pen, a model of computer keyboard and a pachyphytum sitting in a plant pot with no trouble at all. While such technology isn’t new, there’s a growing realisation that it’s working much better than it used to.
It’s all about perception
“A few years ago there were a lot of companies doing visual search which were, frankly, pretty poor,” says Iain McCready, chief executive of visual search company Cortexica. “Some of them weren’t matching anything apart from the dominant colour in a scene, and it only worked in controlled conditions such as in a laboratory. That gave visual search a bad name.”
In the past few years, however, machine-learning and “big data” analysis have made algorithms much more adept at identifying objects. But it’s not easy to train a computer to “see” like a human being, says Paul Melcher of Melcher System, a New York consultancy for visual technology firms. “If I show a machine a picture of a cat’s reflection in a mirror, it will tell you that it’s a cat. It won’t recognise that it’s a cat in a mirror, because it doesn’t understand the context,” he says. But the science of computer vision is improving fast, too. “It’s always a good idea to try and mimic nature because nature’s had a couple of million years of development,” says McCready. “It’s all about perception – colour, shape, motif – and by mimicking that you get a system that’s good in real life situations, such as poor lighting or unusual angles.”
As visual search improved, the question remained of what it might be used for. “A few years ago, nobody could see how it could solve real life problems,” McCready says. “But when we started working with the fashion industry, they got it straight away. We showed our system to the founder of Net-A-Porter, and she said ‘I’ve been looking for this my whole life!’” Fashion became the driving force behind the adoption of visual search when brands such as Asos realised that when customers have difficulty searching for a product, they stop shopping. Farfetch became the latest to join the club, with the recent launch of its “See It, Snap It, Shop It” feature to match people’s camera snaps with products in their catalogue.
Ethical concerns for the future
Clothing is just the tip of the iceberg, however. Pinterest, eBay and Facebook all use image recognition tools to drive search and, ultimately, sales. Indeed, Pinterest’s technology is now employed by device manufacturers (such as Samsung) and retailers (such as United States department store Target). Back in September, Snapchat announced a partnership with Amazon, where a snap of an object links to an Amazon product page. This rush to jump on the visual search bus is predicated, unsurprisingly, on its effect on spending. One study found that people using visual search are 75 per cent more likely to make a return visit to a website, and spend 9 per cent more than those who don’t. Industry analysts reckon the industry will be worth $86 billion (Dh315.83bn) globally by 2025.
The technology still has some way to go, though. “If you take a picture of a cashmere sweater,” says Melcher, “a visual search will return sweaters that look the same, but are made of other materials. It’s obvious to us, but not to the computer.” While text-based search engines have become very good at knowing why we’re searching for something, that’s not something an image can convey; it doesn’t reveal if we like the colour, the shape or the functionality of an item. But new-use cases are being found all the time.
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Hikers and tourists can use a camera to discover information about their surroundings; Wired journalist Lauren Goode described how it made her feel "more deeply involved in the real world". Google Lens's ability to extract text from an image and translate it is breaking down language barriers. Searching for fonts to match your favourite typeface is a breeze. "Our system has been used to monitor production line machines to make sure they're working; to check that workers are wearing hard hats on a construction site; to see whether someone has left their bag in a shopping centre," says McCready.
The one aspect of visual search that causes disquiet, however, is facial recognition. When it first launched, Google Lens would respond to a picture of a face with the message “Lens doesn’t recognise people”. However, it now returns matches and information for pictures of celebrities, which begs the question (given the millions of photographs in Google’s index) of who it deems famous and who it doesn’t. It’s only Google’s adopted ethical principles (“be socially beneficial” and “be accountable to people”) that stops it returning name matches to pictures of any face.
But even setting facial recognition aside, there are other ethical concerns, Melcher says. “Where you eat, who comes to your house, what food is in your fridge, what clothes you’re wearing; this is all valuable information, which can, in turn, can be used to sell you stuff and even create products for you based on your habits,” he says.
“The old saying that an image is worth a thousand words is truer today than it has ever been.”
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
57%20Seconds
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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ICC T20 Rankings
1. India - 270 ranking points
2. England - 265 points
3. Pakistan - 261 points
4. South Africa - 253 points
5. Australia - 251 points
6. New Zealand - 250 points
7. West Indies - 240 points
8. Bangladesh - 233 points
9. Sri Lanka - 230 points
10. Afghanistan - 226 points
Company%20Profile
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Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Zayed Sustainability Prize
List of alleged parties
May 12, 2020: PM and his wife Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at least 17 staff
May 20, 2020: They attend 'bring your own booze party'
Nov 27, 2020: PM gives speech at leaving party for his staff
Dec 10, 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
Dec 13, 2020: PM and his wife throw a party
Dec 14, 2020: London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff event at Conservative Party headquarters
Dec 15, 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18, 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
TALE OF THE TAPE
Manny Pacquiao
Record: 59-6-2 (38 KOs)
Age: 38
Weight: 146lbs
Height: 166cm
Reach: 170cm
Jeff Horn
Record: 16-0-1 (11 KOs)
Age: 29
Weight: 146.2lbs
Height: 175cm
Reach: 173cm
Results
5pm: Wadi Nagab – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Al Falaq, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)
5.30pm: Wadi Sidr – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Fakhama, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
6.30pm: Wadi Shees – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Mutaqadim, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 – Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Bahar Muscat, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Wadi Tayyibah – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Poster Paint, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
What is tokenisation?
Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets.
Leaderboard
15 under: Paul Casey (ENG)
-14: Robert MacIntyre (SCO)
-13 Brandon Stone (SA)
-10 Laurie Canter (ENG) , Sergio Garcia (ESP)
-9 Kalle Samooja (FIN)
-8 Thomas Detry (BEL), Justin Harding (SA), Justin Rose (ENG)
Racecard
6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes (PA) Group 3 Dh175,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,200m
8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile (TB) Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
The National selections
6.30pm: Chaddad
7.05pm: Down On Da Bayou
7.40pm: Mass Media
8.15pm: Rafal
8.50pm: Yulong Warrior
9.25pm: Chiefdom
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
What is Diwali?
The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.
In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
