#Optical Mark Recognition

[fileformatcom-blog]

Develop OMR Applications using Open Source Optical Mark Recognition APIs

In the dynamic landscape of software development, efficiency and accuracy are paramount. Leveraging Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) technology has emerged as a game-changer, particularly in scenarios requiring data extraction from scanned documents. For software developers and programmers keen on harnessing OMR capabilities, specialized File Format APIs serve as invaluable tools. The OMR technology stands out as a prime example, streamlining data collection processes through the scanning and interpretation of marked documents. The APIs offer customization options to tailor the extraction process according to specific requirements. By following best practices, exploring advanced features, and integrating OMR functionalities seamlessly, you can develop powerful applications that streamline data processing tasks and deliver impactful solutions to users. As software developers and programmers seek efficient solutions, the APIs emerge as invaluable tools for integrating OMR capabilities into diverse applications. OMR File Format APIs are designed to facilitate the extraction and processing of data from scanned images and documents using Optical Mark Recognition technology. These APIs offer a range of functionalities, including creating an OMR form, reading and interpreting marked data, handling various file formats, extracting data from scanned images or documents, and integrating OMR capabilities into software applications seamlessly. Let's explore how to utilize OMR File Format APIs to develop powerful applications that streamline data processing tasks.

[in1-nutshell]

Hi how would the tfp bots and cons react to meeting a teenage neutral bot buddy who is know to be very violent and edgy in personality and is very skill in combat and lost their creators when the war started causing them to become very distant and hateful toward everyone around them

Not going to lie, I got Violent Batman vibes from this Buddy. Other that that this was another fun challenge to write about! Because you didn't specify the characters, I chose the characters at random. If this isn't what you wanted please let me know!

Hope you enjoy!

Neutral Teen Bot Buddy who's skilled in combat and edgy with Shockwave, Vechicon's, Arcee, and Smokescreen

SFW, Angst, mentions of death/lose and some violence, nothing too graphic, Cybertronian reader

Buddy remembers that day clearly.

They had been walking with their Caretakers down the streets of Tarn’s district. It had been a rather unusually peaceful day, not that Buddy was complaining. The streets were a lot more empty than usual with many bots going to the new demonstrations and debates on the Senate.

Buddy remembered looking at their Caretakers with a wide smile etched on their faceplate. Optics holding nothing but love and affection. Buddy had their servos in each of their Caretakers servos swinging them up and down.

It was perfect.

Until it wasn’t.

The day was ruined by the first sounds of a cannon firing up into the air and screams ripping the air.

There was a frenzy of bots coming out of nowhere filling the streets in panic. More shots were fired when the mob of bots came crashing into the small family.

Buddy tried their best to keep their servos in their Caretakers servos, but the force of crowd proves too much as Buddy was separated from them. They tried their best to get back to their Caretakers by going against the crowd, but it turned out to be too much as the panic grew with the sounds of more shots being fired.

Buddy found a small alley and hid in some of the waste bins. They put their servos over their helm and rolled themselves into a ball trying to be as small as they could. They tried to blend in with the rest of the garbage around them as they shook in fear.

After what seemed like a millennium, the screaming finally stopped and the streets were filled with an eerie silence and the smell of canon fire. Buddy crawled out of their hiding place and began to slowly walked into the street.

It was a site that would haunt their dreams for years to come.

Mini craters litters the streets from the canon fire as well as the fallen bodies of poor bots trying to get to safety. Many having been hailed down by blaster marks or having been trampled beyond recognition.

All of this was nothing compared to the feeling when they saw two familiar bodies on the ground. Their servos inches from each other as they laid motionless on the ash covered ground.

Buddy fell to their knee. They reached their shaky servo out to touch their cooling bodies, but they stopped mid-way and pulled back. Their grey cold bodies etched permanently in their processor.

Their scream pierced the silent streets. The agonizing sounds of a young one losing their loved ones filled the dead street. Buddy gently picked up each Caretaker and dragged them out of the middle of the street. They brought the two to the alley where they had been hiding and laid them next to each other. Buddy placed a bit of their inner most energon out in their open servos before turning away sniffling.

Two flags gently fluttered on the ground in front of Buddy.

Through their coolant filled optics, they could clearly see the insignias of the Autobots and Decepticons that they had been seeing bots decorate their chassis at the demonstrations.

Gingerly they grabbed the flags and held them close to their faceplate.

Their body started feeling hot, the energon in them was boiling seeing the clashes of purple and red together.

Buddy grabbed a used blaster from a dead bot nearby and blasted into the flags again, and again, and again. They didn’t know they had been screaming when the flags had been reduced into a pile of ash at their pedes.

They slid the blaster into one of their subspaces and turned away from the massacre.

Buddy swore that any member of these factions would feel their wrath.

This was for their Caretakers.

This would be for their fallen friends.

This would be for Cybertron.

Anyone who got in their way was going to meet the well of Allspark earlier than intended.   

Shockwave

Shockwave had heard stories of this assassin bot who had been decimating bots and cons a like for a while now.

But to him this was simply a bot who had lost their logic circuits. Why would any bot now this late into the war even consider taking down two sides of a war on their own?

It was simply illogical.

Shockwave did one day meet the bot on the battlefield.

They had injured one of the Autobots and some lower class Vechicons and had disappeared quicker than anyone could think.

This had gotten Shockwave curious on this bot.

Perhaps they were an Outlier with extreme speed?

This could certainly help the Decepticon cause. A little bit of experimenting never hurt him anyways.

Predaking was going to go hunting as soon as he could get a sample of the bot’s energon.

“It has been some time since I have experimented on a live subject. With some practice I will not be as rusty as I was a couple millennia ago. Now, where is Starscream?”--Shockwave

Vechicons

These bots lived in fear of this bot.

This bot was made a myth in the early years of the war. Some said it was a vengeful spirit; others said it was a paid assassin; some even went as far as to say it was a Sparkeater that toyed with their food before coming back to finish the job.

They thought these attacks would stop as soon as they went off the planet.

But as soon as the familiar looking injuries and body counts started piling up, they just knew.

The myths were real.

That thing was back.

With their luck the thing would kill the Autobots first before it got to them.

“Breakdown! What are the troops doing?!”--Starscream

“I think they are performing a chant.”--Breakdown

“A chant? A chant for what?!”--Stascream

“They think the mythical Sparkeater bot is back and they are trying to ward it off or something like that.”--Knockout

“… As long as they get out in the next 5 minutes—”--Stascream

“They will! Steve hurry it up!”--Breakdown

“You can’t hurry this stuff up too much Breakdown! We did that last time and they took out Marc last week!”--Steve

Arcee

Arcee had heard about this bot through stories in the base back on Cybertron.

She was a bit skeptical when she heard about it. Arcee brushed it off as a funny story to try and scare the recruits on their first days.

It wasn’t until she had been face to face with said bot that she believed the threats were real.

She had been in the middle of a mission when she felt a slash across her back. Rolling away from the attacker, they had blasted the ground where she was formerly standing.

She swore it was a Con.

But there was no insignia to be seen, just a normal looking soldier with a dangerous air around them. Arcee couldn’t move, for the first time since Tailgate’s death she froze in fear. The blaster was in front of her, the heat was building up, ready to fire.

“…”--Arcee

“…”—Buddy

BANG!

CRASH!

“OH, PRIMUS THEY’RE BACK! THEY TOOK OUT MARC! RETREAT! RETREAT!”--Steve

“And that’s my cue to go.”--Arcee

With one more look at Arcee, the bot took off disappearing into the surroundings without uttering a word.

Arcee took this moment to quickly retreat.

When she got back to base, she tried explaining the story to everyone.

The stories were real.

Someone was hunting them down.

But the thing that haunted Arcee was the haunting anger in their optics and how young those optics looked.

Smokescreen

Smokescreen had heard these stories ever since he became a part of the Elite Guard, even as the war had gone for so long. Practically growing up on them during his time on Cybertron.

This assassin bot was rather infamous on both sides. Naturally, Smokescreen wanted to fight them, or at least meet them.

He never knew how close he was to death by one of his legends until later.

It happened on Earth one day during patrol.

Smokescreen decided to patrol by himself instead of going with Bumblebee that day.

It was a peaceful drive at night.

Smokescreen stopped by a deserted cliff side and transformed to stretch a bit. He had gotten dirty on the way to the cliff side.

Dirt and dust caked on to part of his paint job. He could almost hear his team complaining about all the dirt and dust caked on him and how it was covering his insignia, but right now he didn’t care.

He heard a snap of some twigs and turned around half expecting to see Bumblebee or Ultra Magnus. To his surprise he saw a bot semi hiding in the shadows of the larger trees.

They looked almost… shy to approach him?

He patted down the space next to him.

If this was a Con, he would have been dead and neutrals would never approach him, so it had to have been a fellow Autobot!

Slowly the bot inched over and sat down next to him.

Smokescreen looked over at the new bot and smiled warmly.

“Hi there!”--Smokescreen

“…Hi.”--Buddy

“The names Smokescreen! What’s yours?”--Smokescreen

“…Buddy… you have a nice name.”--Buddy

“Thanks! Have you seen the bird that flew over a couple kliks from here?”--Smokescreen

“Oh. Yeah, it was a pretty bird.”--Buddy

“I know right!”--Smokescreen

“I saw a couple of deer on the way too…”--Buddy

“Really!? You’re one lucky bot.”--Smokescreen

“I wouldn’t say that.”--Buddy

“Of course! I rarely see any deer at this time! They always seem to runaway when I see one.”--Smokescreen

“Maybe try being quieter next time?”--Buddy

The two soon ended up having a small chat together, which was a nice change in the war and all.

He offered the bot a drive, to show all his favorite places to hang out. But the bot declined politely and turned to leave. Not before thanking him for the chat and leaving into the dark shadows of the trees.

When he got back and asked about the new bot had made it back.

Smokescreen attempted to describe the bot in question when everyone gave him a weird look. Arcee was the first to recognize the bot as the mysterious assassin bot.

An unsettling air filled the base. The Team could have lost Smokescreen today and they would have noticed till it was too late. Smokescreen had literally dodged a bullet that day just by being nice to them!

Despite this, he wants the bot to come and join the bots.

The only question now was finding them.

[ionizingdotjpeg]

horror-ish squip headcanons

//unsettling-ish faces, uncanny valley, paragraph of stupid lore dumps under cut, tread with caution

the early pre-launch squips were extremely unstable, and had yet to be refined. before ai voices were really refined, squips simply used a basic robot tts program. blindness (from tampering with optical nerves) and paralysis (from shocking the spinal cord) were both not uncommon and very painful.

while the first versions of the squip were released with no ‘bodies’ and were simply voices in the squipped person (squser?? squipee??)’s mind, version 1.9 was the first to have users report seeing ‘vague, creepy faces’ when they closed their eyes or in rare cases, while they were asleep.

with version 2.0, this became a secretly implemented feature that was disabled by default. if squsers were to ask their squip, they would be able to generate a face- often correlating to their voice that would appear when necessary. these faces were more defined, yet often fell into the uncanny valley category and were stuck using shades of blue. users described that when looking directly at their squips for extended periods of time, their faces slightly warped.

version 2.3 and 2.3 ONLY experimented with ai generated faces. these faces were often warped and distened beyond recognition and 2.3 was quickly recalled and all online squips were shut down.

version 2.5 was the first to use a complex system where squips entire body could actually be SEEN. these still were limited to the blues, grays whites and blacks previous versions were limited to, but were less unstable then previous versions.

2.5.2 was a version that refined and perfected the previous systems to the point where squips were almost completely human (aside from cosmetic circuit markings used to differentiate squips from real people) also the squips have skin colors now. yay.

as the updates got more and more advanced, squips became more and more unsettling when exposed to alcohol. with older versions, squips seemed to experience little change when unstablized, however with newer, more complex versions, squips appearances will warp and distort radically, possibly causing mental distress to users.

some drawings i did of what some more rudimentary squips may look like!! (this is why faces were disabled by default)

[atopvisenyashill]

I think a couple of the reasons we didn't see Helaena's birth is that a) it's not plot relevant. All other births either introduce a new status quo or major plot point (i.e Rhaenyra giving birth to Joffrey, as opposed to Jace - that way we can time jump and have all three kids already born but the notion of them being illegitimate is still introduced) or they end in death (Laena, Aemma, Baelon, Visenya).

And then another reason could simply be the optics of having Emily act out a birth scene. Ironic, given all the birth scenes are horrific, but this is a character introduced when she was 14. I don't think she could be more than 16 or 17 when she had Helaena. I can see why they shied away from it, or why it may never have even been a consideration to show it.

Well my argument here is that this whole show is about child birth and the way it affects The Family Unit and if we are establishing rival Family Units, we must include the basis of how the family unit is established, which is childbirth (in the context of feudal systems anyway). This show has a long, drawn out birthing scene with a lot of commentary over how dangerous and violent labor is and how dangerously violent our society treats new mothers with the birth scenes of Aemma, Laena, and Rhaenyra’s two (2) scenes, and these mark the beginning, middle, and end of the season, so it is an odd, frustrating exclusion to not at least attempt to include Alicent starting her labor and to straight up never see Helaena even pregnant at all. And when I said “have the plot happen while Rhaenyra is pregnant” you can easily do that with Alicent imo - if Helaena isn’t relevant enough (though I would argue Alicent birthing a Valyrian daughter is in fact VERY relevant to the status quo, it’s why Helaena is married off at only 13), we can easily futz with the timeline to include Aemond or Daeron’s birth around Rhaenyra’s wedding.

As for the second one……..okay idk how to phrase this without sounding like a sociopath here but if they were worried about “how are audiences going to react to Emily Carrey who is only 17/18 having a baby” my response is git gud ryan!!!!! they’re clearly trying to explore a concept they completely axed in the original, which is Structural Patriarchy And The Pedophilic Sexualization Of Young Girls in hotd, which was why they a) casted milly who was like 20 and has a baby face and b) aged down and casted Emily, who was roughly the same age as Alicent after the first time jump. And if you’re going to explore those themes, you have to EXPLORE those themes and that includes how (in show) Alicent and Helaena are not even of age by THEIR standards when they marry and give birth the first time, and Rhaenyra is massively sexualized and groomed by most of the men around her from the age of like 12 until she’s married at 17. This is the exact same violence that is enacted against Aemma being enacted on Alicent, and I think a more direct parallel of “yes Viserys forcing Alicent to have his kid at 15 is as god awful as Viserys cutting Aemma open” you NEED to have Alicent give birth with the younger actor and make the audience SQUIRM with discomfort, the same way they do when they have baby Laena parrot that stuff about giving Viserys strong sons, and Rhaenys say explicitly that she hates what’s happening.

I get the issue surrounding “emily was very young on set” but a) that’s why this whole series should have been animated and b) you can do this without even showing Alicent too much. One point of criticism I tend to have for another Historical Fantasy Show (Outlander, no one laugh at me, it’s a good fucking show and Catriona has been ROBBED of recognition for it) is how often they just throw in graphic ass rape scenes where I don’t feel it’s necessary but a point i give them credit is that when they got pushback about how often we are seeing People Straight Up Raped On Screen they got creative with how they filmed those scenes.

(spoilers obviously) but for the rape scene involving Brianna, where she enters a room attempting to get her ring back, and is raped as “payment” for it by Bonnett, the camera has Bonnett close the door so all we see is the people outside listening to Brianna scream. Some of them look uncomfortable. Some of them look at the door but do nothing. One woman trips over Bonnett’s boots outside the door and fixes them. The door opens and you just see Brianna in shock, getting her things, and leaving, but you otherwise see Nothing. The scene after that involves Claire being kidnapped from her home and gang raped over the span of a day or two, before being rescued by her family. Every time the rape starts up again, Claire enters a fantasy in her mind. She’s in the present day (in canon she lives in 1700s America, but she came from the 60s) and the family she’s made in the past are at a celebration with her, dressed in the present day. Characters that have died are there and happy. Her adopted son sits next to her biological daughter. The scene shifts and Claire is in her 1700s clothes in her 1960s house with Jamie, her husband, and she’s crying and he cups her cheek and whispers “it’s just the two of us now.” The rape scene ends. Later, as she’s struggling to deal with it, we see the bruises on her body because she is naked in bed with Jamie, wanting to be intimate but scared of sex, and he cradles her and says “you’re a strong thing” as the camera lets us see the damage done to her.

So, you can have it there without us seeing it. You can have Alicent be afraid as her contractions start. Viserys somewhere else not giving a shit. Rhaenyra outside the room wanting to comfort Alicent but not enough to swallow her pride. Otto more worried about the baby and quipping to Rhaenyra than he is about Alicent. Alicent laying in bed, upset, shaking, unable to hold her baby just yet. There’s a lot of freedom to get creative when you’re working with a visual medium!

[solesoldier]

this is a breakdown and reference sheet of shepard's scars throughout the timeline of the series including where the scars were acquired and any additional physical or relevant psychological details. tw for medical trauma and mentions of sterilization** ahead. major plot spoilers also ahead. full view on images recommended.

MASS EFFECT 1

the use of shields and medi-gel can heal most moderate injuries when used in a timely manner. Scarification is still mostly permanent but proper treatment can speed up the healing process.

¹ˑ   eyebrow scar, acquired from a husk on eden prime. ²ˑ lip scar, a minor injury during basic training after enlisting. ³ˑ   scar tissue from the remains of a severe injury caused by thresher maw acid on akuze. the coloration has mostly faded to her skin tone but the texture is still rough. shepard is very rarely seen wearing tank tops to keep the injury concealed considering how quick people are to want to talk about akuze, which she is not interested in doing.

MASS EFFECT 2 / 3

after undergoing reconstruction through the lazarus project, shepard is missing her previously notable scars. her official cause of death was asphyxiation as she ran out of oxygen while breaking atmosphere; the velocity of falling from orbit burned her body beyond recognition and the force of impact when she finally landed crushed the majority of her bones. her skull was heavily fractured but her helmet miraculously prevented her brain from being severely damaged.

¹ˑ   reconstruction scars, a series of strange scars from newly placed skin grafts which did not have time to properly heal. they give an oddly manufactured appearance to her as they follow natural forms and planes of the body (much like seams on a production mold would). in anything other than bright light, they give off a faint orange glow due to the cybernetics underneath. shepard is highly self conscious about these scars; mental stress seems to make them more prominent. ²ˑ enhanced optics, the first of several implanted cybernetics, these ocular implants allow for quicker visual recognition and scanning and are able to enhance mental processing to a faster rate. these implants allow her to make quick tactical decisions and auto focus on targets for her (adrenaline rush ability). ³ˑ  titanium reinforced skeleton, only around 10% of shepard's skeleton is made of her original bones. titanium was used as a reinforcement material due to the heavy impact of front line combat shepard regularly faces. after full augmentation and skeletal restructuring, shepard weighs significantly more than a regular human of her height and build. ⁴ˑ   heavy muscle weave, (NOT upgraded) her muscles have been perforated with micro-fibers which greatly increase her natural strength and reduce exhaustion and muscle fatigue. these enhancements can be physically upgraded, along with bone and skin weaves, but shepard decisively chooses not to augment herself any further. ⁵ˑ **most organ systems were returned to functionality, with the exception of the epidermis and skeletal system needing to be fully replaced, however her reproductive system is no longer functional. shepard no longer experiences a menstrual cycle and will never be able to conceive children.

POST MASS EFFECT 3

the consequences of choosing to destroy the reapers are both physically present in the galaxy, but also marked upon shepard herself. her body was found among the citadel wreckage, severely injured and barely alive after massive trauma to the body and brain as well as the catalyst disabling her more intricate cybernetics. shepard's 'recovery' is limited by the available resources in the wake of the aftermath; she is in critical care for minimum three months, repairing her cybernetic-reliant organ systems. intensive physical therapy is needed for several months following to adapt to her new prosthetics and regain her strength. recovery is ongoing.

¹ˑ  heavy scar tissue from multiple sources, some injury from the impact of the beam which transported her to the citadel, the majority being from the explosion within the catalyst. ²ˑ reconstruction scars still present but faded, continuing to fade with time. ³ˑ   cybernetic implants now mostly defunct. through gene therapy, transplants, and extensive hospitalization, her body has learned to cope without the more intricate implants. some of the less advanced ones were able to be technologically repaired. ⁴ˑ   amputated arm, replaced with mechanical prosthetic. her right arm was crushed under a bulkhead on impact from explosion; it was amputated on the scene of recovering her body from the wreckage. ⁵ˑ severed leg from initial explosion, replaced with mechanical prosthetic. the wound was mostly cauterized from the heat of the blast, preventing her from dying of blood loss in the wreckage.

[ice-connoisseur]

Getting back on my Miss Fisher bullshit

Because I’ve rewatched the whole series and film since Christmas and I have opinions on, amongst other things...

Jack Robinson, sir.  Your face.

Whhhhhy if Dot and Hugh was a blatant end game did they for some reason undo every step of Hugh’s character growth that makes for a believably and realistically longterm happy marriage between them by the following episode

The clothes, the staging, the art 😍

Jack Robinson’s eyebrows.  Obviously technically a part of his face, but I feel they deserve special recognition for the service they provide

New addendum to my previously accepted headcanon (I think courtesy of @firesign23) that Crypt of Tears takes place a chunk of time after series 3, during which Phryne and Jack had a relationship that fell apart...I think I’ve now decided CoT is an AU that takes place assuming they had their gaudy night somewhere at the end of series one/early series two, before they’d spent the better part of another year (or more?  In-show timelines continue to baffle) carefully exploring each others walls, and that was what inevitably fell apart and led to the start of CoT.  The show timeline instead leads into @fahye‘s A Series of Optical Illusions and the lines “his eyes, once thus unshielded, are focused on the pistol in a manner more exasperated than wary” and also “Jack's arms are tight around her waist and her back and he exhales against her hair, long and slow, like he's been holding on to it for an ocean's worth of time“ and I dare anyone to argue on that with me

The clothes, again, and most specifically, the embroidered coat in Marked for Murder

Aunt Prudence would also have said “fuck you, bastard” to Jeremy Hunt

Mac is actually not the coroner for the majority of the series??!! 

Someone wrote a ficlet about Jack coming to England to meet Miss Fisher and discuss her sister’s murder and the gutpunch twist at the end was that it was Miss Janey Fisher he was meeting and I cannot find the story anywhere and this saddens me

And finally, circling back round once more to Jack Robinson’s face

[antiherometalau]

CHAPTER 1 - HARD RESET

[METAL FIRMWARE VERSION: 1.3]

[SETUP COMPLETE.]

[SYSTEM STARTUP INITIATED...]

At first, the world came to him in black and red. Lines of wireframe marked the perspective of the room- representing each minuscule dent in the wall- each tool or miscellaneous piece of machinery strewn about the room- each detail of a mustached man's face, staring at him intently, with a wide grin and jovial look plastered on his features.

Then, an explosion of color- further refining each of the world's details- the greyness of the metal vent covers, the vibrant blues of the sky outside the viewport window- the characteristic red tint of the man's nose.

As his vision processes completed their final startup checks- the rest of his mind came into action. His facial recognition software jolted into motion, and he recognized the man to be his creator, Doctor Ivo Robotnik. His auxiliary sensors burst to life- the silent droning noise of machinery filling his artificial ears and the feeling of hard steel beneath his talons filling his false nerves.

And then, at last, his primary systems came online.

[METAL SYSTEMS ONLINE.]

[PRIMARY DIRECTIVE: SURPASS SONIC THE HEDGEHOG.]

[SECONDARY DIRECTIVE: PROTECT DOCTOR ROBOTNIK AND THE EGGPIRE.]

[TERTIARY DIRECTIVE: eggLang.exception.null]

[INQUIRY: WHAT HAPPENED?]

Through the reflection in the man's glasses- Metal watches his inquiry appear on a screen behind him. He notes that he happens to be wired into the base's systems at the moment- and that his frame is pristine, as if it were brand new.

He notes that it may, in fact, be brand new.

"Ah, Metal! You're conscious! I really need to invest in faster drives- your startup sequence took a very long time..."

Eggman clears his throat.

"Anyways- you sustained very heavy damage in your last fight with that blasted hedgehog- too, heavy damage, really. It wasn't... worth it, per say, to repair your previous frame- so I have transferred you into a new one! Go on, get a feel for it! I've included many features you previously lacked- before you ask, no, still no voice chip. I've been having issues getting those working..."

Metal raises a clawed hand into his vision, staring downwards. He's taller now- presumably to not be outdone by the loathsome organic copy, who had been growing steadily over the years- his turbine is in pristine condition, and he has the most curious sense of touch, now. He reaches over with his other hand- experiencing the feeling of dragging his claw against his palm- the sharp, biting sensation.

It is most intriguing. He turns to his creator with as much of a look of gratitude as he can muster. Unfortunately, his expressions are rather limited- but he hopes the message is gotten across regardless.

"I'm glad you enjoy your upgrades! You know, I never realized just how behind you were with my technology- I mean, I haven't given you any proper touch ups in... well, too long! For my greatest creation, you were overdue for an overhaul."

Greatest creation. The praise is somewhat lost on the machine, however, it appreciates it regardless. It nods hesitantly- attempting to disconnect itself and stand up.

"Woah, woah now. Calm down there, Metal- you're still not calibrated for these new systems- it may be a bit hard to-"

Metal feels as the cables disconnect, and plummets to the floor. His legs seem to operate on different control schemes, now.

After a moment of re-calibration- Metal feels the servos in his legs straining to pull him back upright. They succeed, and he reorients himself- his optical scanners intaking the rest of the room as he turns to Robotnik, awaiting further instruction.

"Eager to get back to it, huh? Well- unfortunately, I've got nothing for you to do right now. Say- why don't you go orient yourself around the base? These forests can be confusing to navigate..."

--------------

Flying through the trees was... difficult. Too difficult for Metal's liking.

He was still adjusting to his new chassis- and his old turbine was simply inadequate to carry him at the speeds he was used to- much to his chagrin. He felt weighed down- a feeling he was not going to get used to for a while.

[CRUISING VELOCITY REACHED.]

That was it? This was his turbine's cruising speed? Despite his speedometer reading quite the velocity, he felt like he was hardly at a jogging pace. No- this simply wouldn't do. He began to try and push his turbine further-

His speed gradually increased, however, the stress on his body increased in turn. As he began to rocket between the trees and brush- his turbine's overthrottle was starting to drain on it-

[WARNING: MAXIMUM SAFE VELOCITY REACHED.]

THIS was his limit? No. Disregarding the warning- he continued to try and speed up- his turbine struggling to meet his ever increasing demands...

Finally. This was befitting of him. He soared through the air at breakneck speeds- but his systems couldn't handle it for long- and as quickly as that euphoria arrived...

[OVERHEAT. EMERGENCY SHUTTING DOWN TURBINES.]

Metal began to rapidly lose speed- his speedometer tanking as he came to a stumbling halt amongst the brush. He curses himself as he feels the heat of his turbine stifling the air around him- and light smoke emitting from the back of it. The doctor would not be pleased with him damaging his new shell already... and he was not pleased with himself, either.

He had let his need for speed get ahead of orders.

[ERROR NOTED. RESOLVING.]

He wouldn't again.

However- it still lingered within him- and, with his turbine engine now under duress- he couldn't rely on it to carry him home. Though it DID seem that his legs had gotten an upgrade- their control schemes must have been different for a reason. And so- he began to run, normally- back through the forest, towards the base. He had taken a bit of a winding path coming here, but returning in a straight line was optimal- and he didn't wish to discover the limits of his legs by dallying about as that would leave him stranded.

Revving to life- he sprints onward- slashing branches and thistles out of the way with his sharp claws- and, nearly passing through a clearing- when something calls for him to stop. His heavy metal shoes dig into the ground as he skids to a halt- the opening within the trees giving way to quite the scenic view of hills in the distance.

But that was not why he had stopped- no. He had stopped because of the pink mass of pixels in his visual scanners- leaning against a tree across the breach.

--------------

Amy was tired. She'd been hard at work for days- assisting Tails with his newest project, of which the two-tailed fox seemed to never sleep on- and she was desperately in need of a break. Preferably, one out of the way of everyone for a while...

And luckily, she had just the spot! Sneaking out of Tails' workshop- he had passed out on his desk again, and she had laid a blanket over his shoulders- she makes her way out of the town and into the forests. She has a basket held in her hands- containing a picnic blanket and a few small food items for her to snack on while she distracts herself from her life's recent stresses.

As she paces through the brush, she hears a low rumble in the distance- but pays it no mind, assuming it to merely be something from Tails' workshop- that she did NOT wish to deal with right now. She reaches her clearing, and takes a seat beneath one of the towering trees- laying out her picnic blanket and sighing.

The morning passes by and the afternoon arrives- and, having finished the small lunch she brought for herself, she packs up the basket and simply sits, taking in the sounds around her with her eyes closed.

The chirp of birds! The ribbit of a distant frog- the racket of crickets in the grass, and-

The soft thud of heavy weight against the dirt. Confused, her eyes snap open, and she turns to the source of the noise-

Only to see Metal approaching her. She panics- stumbling back a bit- and raises a hand to block her face...

It was taking a long time to capture her as it usually did. She slowly lowered her arm, meeting the scary gaze of the robot, both locked in a moment of confused silence.

"...Aren't ya gonna... k-kidnap me, or somethin'...?"

The robot shakes its head- beeping negatively.

"Oh..."

Somehow, she understands this beep fully.

"Well! I'm not busy-"

She pats the grass next to her, and scoots to the side slightly.

"I've got time to listen."

--------------

Confused, Metal took a seat next to the pink hedgehog- not even really understanding why he had listened to the command. He, unsurprisingly, ends up not being the one to talk as much- and simply sits there, an odd feeling of contentedness within his matrices as he listened to Amy Rose vent about her recent frustrations and gush over every little thing. He expressed some visible annoyance when she spoke of his loathsome copy- which, he noted, managed to pull a giggle from her.

Why was she acting so... [DEFINITION FOUND]- amicable towards him?

[NOTE ADDED: AMY ROSE]

[CONFUSING.]

He found himself staring at her blankly- taking in each minute detail of her appearance. By the time she had stopped talking, he was convinced he could create a full, 3D model exclusively from the data collected by his sensors- and he wasn't entirely sure why. He convinces himself that it was due to the organic notion of eye contact during conversations.

Eventually, she had run out of things to say, and she sighed tiredly. The afternoon sun was now beginning to droop- and his turbine had thankfully cooled down in the interim. He began to devise a route to return to base, however, her annoyingly cheery voice interrupted his inner machinations-

"Well- it was nice to have someone here to listen to my ranting, for once!"

...He simply lets out a computerized tone in response.

"Yeah, well, even if you say you don't care- I can see through you, silly robot!"

See through him? Had he become translucent somehow? No. That was illogical. His apparent confusion caused her to emit another giggling sound-

"Anyways... thanks!"

She grabs hold of the interwoven wood basket beside her, standing and waving to him cheerfully as she sprints off back towards, presumably, her 'base of operations'- her home, Metal recalls.

...

[NOTE ADDED: AMY ROSE]

[CONFUSING | INTRIGUING]

With that, Metal stands back up- his servos snapping out of their stillness, and he carefully fires up his turbine engine- flying back to home turf, mind lost in thought.

He had no idea at that time what exactly was to come- or that this would not be the last instance of a chance encounter with that pink hedgehog.

As he re-entered the secret outpost, he noted that his creator was consumed in his work- and, as per protocol, decided not to disturb him with his return. He simply paced silently through the hall- past the crowded workshops and into a small, side room- built just for him. A charging bay contained within it was his target- and it had been recently upgraded to fit his new height. Slotting into the capsule, his visual feed cuts out as he seals himself away for the day.

[ENTERING SLEEP MODE.]

[nazorneku]

KURAS ( @oniriqe ) INQUIRED OF AIS: ❛ patch . help my muse patch up a wound

Not a frequent occurrence when grave injuries were inflicted upon his constitution; albeit the innate unique demonic physique, which allowed to withstand physical damage and influence of several elements, Ais possessed susceptibility towards effects of magic that threatened with various levels of damage. Nevertheless it scarcely prevented the man from initiating bar brawls or, when encouraged and provoked, resorting to irrepressible outburst of violence. And the latter was oft accompanied by grisly consequences, that painted cobblestones with dark fluids, stained walls with strokes of crimson, and bodies deformed beyond recognition littered the streets. In despite of own capability to mend mutilations over time without medical interventions with borrowed powers alone, the other could not be dissuaded from performing own duties that included the raven-haired at that time.

The doctor's office was saturated with an acrid and bitter scent, containing undertones of the artificial fragrance, evoking an incessant scowl and numerous complaints from the demon, which were unabashedly silenced by pressing a soaked with antiseptic cotton pad to an oozing wound, sending ripples along sensory receptors. Instantaneously vivid optics flared with indignation and narrowed ominously at the taller man. "Careful, doctor." Low tone dropped almost to a whisper, unveiled threat balanced on the tip of his tongue, even though comprehending the other was not prone to be swayed by such display.

Anew carmine gaze slid down to beheld tanned hands tend to injuries with practiced ease, ugly and deep bloody cuts were scattered across his right hand, occasionally slit the perfect shape of teal brand entwining his hand. A distinct metallic odor, replete with something vile and corrupt, penetrated the air between the two. A distant cacophony of voices murmured at the back of his mind, as fixed and unblinking Ais watched the tendrils coil with purpose, as if nudging the edges of wounds back together in their bizarre attempt to stitch. A curt glance was afforded to Kuras, an insurance that such display remained covert to those golden eyes.

Screaming silence assumed its reigns, occasionally diluted by the rustling sound of the cloth and cleaning ministrations; undoubtedly numerous queries weighed down the mind of the other, yet none escaped his lips. Not yet, at least. The chest heaved under the measured breathing, whilst he lounged on the medical bed, awaiting the procedure to end. And it's upon another distraction with washing the bloodied cloth, an opportunity to seal remaining cuts was utilized, the disturbance of tentacles ceased bringing forth its customary static state.

Such progressive healing was expected, nonetheless it compelled a wonderment to manifest across Kuras' features, hands stretched without a hint of hesitation, and long fingers purposefully pressed its tips along the muscles of his hand, trailed along the curves of the turquoise markings. A confirmation gesture, to verify the integrity of muscle tissue, yet it begat a characteristic glint of mischief within crimson pools, as the head was tilted slightly to the side and a sugary tone inquired. "Like what you see?" Once words were vocalized, a signature smirk tugged at the corners of his lips, a rather elevated mood as if a brutal confrontation did not occur not long ago, something he grew dangerously accustomed to and faces of victims were ultimately erased from the memory. Eventually he let the smirk wither and directed own gaze away from the other, uttering the words of gratitude. "Thank you." Getting up from the bed and adjusting haori, the demon still refused to look at Kuras, opting to prolong the negligence of discussing events of the evening by proceeding with what was considered a matter of utmost urgency. "Princess is probably bored by now, so I better dash."

&. loud and deafening silence prompts         

[vapehk1]

FirstUnion's Groundbreaking Alkaid Light-Heating Scoops HNB Innovation Award at InterTabac 2024

On September 19, at the InterTabac trade fair in Dortmund, Germany, FirstUnion was awarded the 2024 Alternative Award for "Best HNB Innovation" for its groundbreaking Alkaid Light Heating Technology. This prestigious recognition highlights the revolutionary nature of Alkaid technology in the heated tobacco products (HNB) sector. That same evening, FirstUnion hosted an exclusive launch event at the world’s premier tobacco industry exhibition, showcasing how Alkaid technology addresses key consumer concerns such as heating speed, flavor quality, device cleanliness, and health impacts. At the heart of Alkaid is its light-heating method, which leverages full-spectrum light waves, mimicking the natural power of sunlight to deliver rapid and uniform heating. Dr. Zhu Bin, FirstUnion's Alkaid light-heating technical lead, highlighted this feat enables the device to preheat in just five seconds, transforming the smoking experience by eliminating long wait times and offering users instant satisfaction with a smooth, seamless draw. Alkaid's rapid heating is only the beginning. The technology delivers superior taste and health benefits that elevate the smoking experience far beyond current standards. Alkaid increases the nicotine release efficiency in aerosols by over 40% and boosts total particulate matter (TPM) by 20%, delivering an experience that closely mimics traditional cigarettes. Simultaneously, it cuts harmful substance emissions by 20%, significantly reducing potential health risks. Thanks to its innovative non-contact heating design, Alkaid requires no cleaning, ensuring the device maintains consistent, fresh-tasting results even after 5,000 continuous uses. The development of Alkaid technology is the result of four years of extensive research and thousands of experiments conducted by a multidisciplinary team of more than 100 experts in materials science, optics, electronics, and tobacco. Drawing inspiration from solar collectors, Alkaid overcomes the limitations of traditional heating methods by utilizing the speed and penetrating power of light—a revolutionary concept poised to change the future of HTP. FirstUnion has been at the forefront of HTP innovation since 2012, introducing several highly acclaimed products to the market. The launch of Alkaid not only strengthens its leadership position but also sets a new trajectory for the global HTP sector, offering a glimpse into the future of the industry. As the tobacco industry moves further toward harm reduction, Alkaid’s unparalleled combination of innovation, practicality, and health benefits places it in prime position to disrupt the market. FirstUnion's commitment to creating better, safer alternatives for consumers is clear, and the introduction of Alkaid marks a bold step forward. As the company’s slogan proudly declares, "Harnessing the power of light to guide the future—Alkaid brings the future within reach." With Alkaid, FirstUnion offers a transformative experience—where speed, taste, and health converge to redefine what's possible in HTP technology. The future of smoking has never been brighter. Read the full article

[rubyprin]

Enhance Your Business Efficiency with Professional Paper File Printing and Answer Sheets Printing

In today's fast-paced business environment, efficient documentation and streamlined processes are critical for success. Whether you're managing a corporate office, an educational institution, or a small business, the need for high-quality Paper File Printing and Answer Sheets Printing is undeniable. Customized printing solutions not only improve the professional appearance of your documents but also make it easier to organize, retrieve, and store important files. In this article, we will explore the benefits of professional Paper File Printing and Answer Sheets Printing and how Ruby Print can help you meet these needs seamlessly.

The Importance of Paper File Printing for Business

In the digital age, many organizations are moving towards a paperless environment, but physical files remain a crucial component of business operations. From legal documents to project proposals, having a well-organized and durable paper file system can streamline your workflow and help you stay organized. Professional Paper File Printing offers more than just aesthetic appeal; it adds a level of functionality that enhances your daily operations.

Benefits of Paper File Printing:

Customization: Every business is unique, and so are its needs. Ruby Print offers customized Paper File Printing solutions that allow you to include your brand’s logo, company colors, and any other relevant information. This adds a touch of professionalism and makes your files easily identifiable.

Durability: Printed files from a professional service are more durable and long-lasting. Ruby Print uses high-quality materials that ensure your documents withstand wear and tear over time, making them ideal for long-term storage.

Organization: Professional printing services like Ruby Print provide custom solutions that help businesses stay organized. From color-coded file systems to labeled dividers, your printed files can be arranged in a way that makes document retrieval simple and efficient.

Branding: Incorporating your company’s branding into your printed files is an excellent way to reinforce your corporate identity. Customized Paper File Printing ensures that every document your team handles, or that you share with clients, reflects your brand image.

In summary, professional Paper File Printing plays a vital role in maintaining a professional appearance, ensuring durability, and enhancing organizational efficiency. Whether you're managing internal files or sharing important documents with clients, quality printing makes a world of difference.

Why Educational Institutions Rely on Answer Sheets Printing

Educational institutions, such as schools, colleges, and universities, require high-quality printed materials for their examinations. Answer Sheets Printing is one of the most crucial components of the examination process. It needs to be precise, clear, and durable to ensure that both students and examiners have a seamless experience.

The Role of Answer Sheets in Academic Success

Precision in Printing: One of the main reasons educational institutions trust Ruby Print for Answer Sheets Printing is the precision we offer. Answer sheets often need to be printed in specific formats, such as multiple-choice answer sheets, OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) sheets, or handwritten answer sheets. Ruby Print ensures that the printing is flawless, with accurate alignment and clear demarcations for each section.

Customizable Options: Institutions often need their answer sheets to be tailored to specific exams or subjects. Ruby Print offers customization options, allowing schools to include their logos, watermarks, or specific instructions for the students. This customization ensures that the answer sheets are not just functional but also reflect the professionalism of the institution.

Durability for Long-Term Use: Many institutions archive answer sheets for future reference. As such, durability is key. The high-quality materials used by Ruby Print for Answer Sheets Printing ensure that they remain in excellent condition even after being stored for years. This is especially important for institutions that need to maintain records for accreditation or legal purposes.

OMR Compatible Printing: Many educational institutions are now using OMR sheets for their examinations, which require precise printing for accurate scanning. Ruby Print specializes in OMR-compatible Answer Sheets Printing, ensuring that the sheets meet all the necessary requirements for accurate evaluation.

How Ruby Print Stands Out in Paper File and Answer Sheets Printing

Customization and High-Quality Materials

At Ruby Print, we understand that every business and institution has unique requirements when it comes to Paper File Printing and Answer Sheets Printing. That’s why we offer tailored solutions to meet your specific needs. Whether you require branded paper files for your office or customized answer sheets for your educational institution, we ensure that each product meets the highest standards of quality and precision.

Our printing services are not just about putting ink on paper; we take into consideration the durability, design, and functionality of every product we deliver. From using premium quality paper that enhances the longevity of your documents to offering multiple finishing options like lamination, gloss, and matte, Ruby Print ensures that you get the best value for your investment.

Additionally, our commitment to sustainability is evident in our printing practices. We use eco-friendly materials wherever possible, reducing waste and ensuring that our services align with environmentally conscious practices.

Professional Paper File Printing and Answer Sheets Printing are essential for the efficient functioning of businesses and educational institutions alike. For businesses, having well-organized, durable, and branded paper files can significantly improve day-to-day operations. For educational institutions, high-quality answer sheets are crucial for ensuring a smooth examination process and maintaining accurate records.

Ruby Print is committed to providing top-tier printing solutions that meet the specific needs of its clients. With a focus on customization, precision, durability, and eco-friendly practices, we ensure that every product we deliver helps enhance the efficiency and professionalism of your organization. Whether you’re looking to organize your business documents or require precise answer sheets for examinations, Ruby Print is here to help.

Choose Ruby Print for all your Paper File Printing and Answer Sheets Printing needs, and experience the difference that professional, high-quality printing can make for your business or institution.

[omrhome1]

Advanced OMR Sheet Checking Machines: Precision and Efficiency in Data Collection

Discover the latest in Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheet checking technology. Our advanced OMR sheet checking machines offer unmatched accuracy and speed in processing and analyzing answer sheets.

[kathirmobiles]

Exploring the  KATHIR Vivo Mobiles: A   Comprehensive Guide to the "Top 5 Models in     2024"

Vivo has made a significant mark in the Kathir vivo mobiles industry with its innovative designs and cutting-edge technology. As we move through 2024, Vivo continues to impress with its latest offerings. In this article, we will explore the top 5 Vivo smartphones of 2024, highlighting their standout features, specifications, and why they deserve your attention.

  Discover the Latest Innovations and Features of  kathir Vivo's        Leading  mobilephones!    

Vivo X90 Pro+, best Vivo camera phone, flagship camera phone

The Vivo X90 Pro+ is the flagship model for photography enthusiasts, boasting a quad-camera system with cutting-edge technology.

Key Features:

Primary Camera: 108MP sensor delivers incredible detail and clarity, ideal for high-resolution photos.

Ultra-Wide Lens: 48MP ultra-wide camera allows for expansive shots, capturing more of the scene.

Telephoto Lens: 12MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom provides excellent quality for distant subjects.

Macro Lens: 5MP macro lens is perfect for close-up photography, capturing fine details.

Camera Enhancements:

AI Capabilities: Advanced AI algorithms enhance image quality, adjust settings automatically, and offer features like AI scene detection and portrait mode.

Night Mode: Superior low-light performance ensures bright, clear photos even in challenging lighting conditions.

Video Recording: 8K video recording with stabilization features for smooth, high-resolution video capture

Vivo V27 Pro, mid-range camera phone, best mid-range Vivo camera phone:

The Vivo V27 Pro offers a great balance between price and camera performance, making it an excellent choice for photography enthusiasts on a budget.

Key Features:

Primary Camera: 64MP main sensor captures detailed and vibrant images.

Ultra-Wide Lens: 8MP ultra-wide camera allows for capturing wider scenes and group photos.

Macro Lens: 2MP macro lens for close-up shots of small objects and textures.

 Camera Enhancements:

AI Features: AI-powered enhancements such as portrait mode, beauty mode, and scene recognition to optimize photos automatically.

Super Night Mode: Enhanced low-light photography capabilities for clear, detailed photos at night.

Video Recording: 4K video recording with electronic image stabilization (EIS) for smooth video capture.

"Vivo X80 Pro, professional camera phone, high-performance camera phone"

The Vivo X80 Pro is designed for those who need a high-performance camera phone for professional-level photography.

Key Features:

Primary Camera: 50MP sensor with a large aperture for stunning photos in various lighting conditions.

Periscope Telephoto Lens: 8MP lens with 10x hybrid zoom for capturing distant subjects with clarity.

Ultra-Wide Lens: 12MP ultra-wide camera for capturing more in a single shot.

Depth Sensor: 2MP depth sensor for improved portrait photography.

Camera Enhancements:

Pro Mode: Manual settings for advanced photographers, including ISO, shutter speed, and focus adjustments.

AI Enhancements: AI scene recognition, night mode, and HDR capabilities to enhance image quality.

Video Recording: 4K video recording with advanced stabilization features and cinematic video modes.

"Vivo V25, affordable camera phone, budget Vivo camera phone"

[jcmarchi]

Making Sense of the Mess: LLMs Role in Unstructured Data Extraction

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/making-sense-of-the-mess-llms-role-in-unstructured-data-extraction/

Making Sense of the Mess: LLMs Role in Unstructured Data Extraction

Recent advancements in hardware such as Nvidia H100 GPU, have significantly enhanced computational capabilities. With nine times the speed of the Nvidia A100, these GPUs excel in handling deep learning workloads. This advancement has spurred the commercial use of generative AI in natural language processing (NLP) and computer vision, enabling automated and intelligent data extraction. Businesses can now easily convert unstructured data into valuable insights, marking a significant leap forward in technology integration. 

Traditional Methods of Data Extraction 

Manual Data Entry 

Surprisingly, many companies still rely on manual data entry, despite the availability of more advanced technologies. This method involves hand-keying information directly into the target system. It is often easier to adopt due to its lower initial costs. However, manual data entry is not only tedious and time-consuming but also highly prone to errors. Additionally, it poses a security risk when handling sensitive data, making it a less desirable option in the age of automation and digital security. 

Optical Character Recognition (OCR)  

OCR technology, which converts images and handwritten content into machine-readable data, offers a faster and more cost-effective solution for data extraction. However, the quality can be unreliable. For example, characters like “S” can be misinterpreted as “8” and vice versa.  

OCR’s performance is significantly influenced by the complexity and characteristics of the input data; it works well with high-resolution scanned images free from issues such as orientation tilts, watermarks, or overwriting. However, it encounters challenges with handwritten text, especially when the visuals are intricate or difficult to process. Adaptations may be necessary for improved results when handling textual inputs. The data extraction tools in the market with OCR as a base technology often put layers and layers of post-processing to improve the accuracy of the extracted data. But these solutions cannot guarantee 100% accurate results.  

Text Pattern Matching 

Text pattern matching is a method for identifying and extracting specific information from text using predefined rules or patterns. It’s faster and offers a higher ROI than other methods. It is effective across all levels of complexity and achieves 100% accuracy for files with similar layouts.  

However, its rigidity in word-for-word matches can limit adaptability, requiring a 100% exact match for successful extraction. Challenges with synonyms can lead to difficulties in identifying equivalent terms, like differentiating “weather” from “climate.”Additionally, Text Pattern Matching exhibits contextual sensitivity, lacking awareness of multiple meanings in different contexts. Striking the right balance between rigidity and adaptability remains a constant challenge in employing this method effectively. 

Named Entity Recognition (NER)  

Named entity recognition (NER), an NLP technique, identifies and categorizes key information in text. 

NER’s extractions are confined to predefined entities like organization names, locations, personal names, and dates. In other words, NER systems currently lack the inherent capability to extract custom entities beyond this predefined set, which could be specific to a particular domain or use case. Second, NER’s focus on key values associated with recognized entities does not extend to data extraction from tables, limiting its applicability to more complex or structured data types. 

 As organizations deal with increasing amounts of unstructured data, these challenges highlight the need for a comprehensive and scalable approach to extraction methodologies. 

Unlocking Unstructured Data with LLMs 

Leveraging large language models (LLMs) for unstructured data extraction is a compelling solution with distinct advantages that address critical challenges. 

Context-Aware Data Extraction 

LLMs possess strong contextual understanding, honed through extensive training on large datasets. Their ability to go beyond the surface and understand context intricacies makes them valuable in handling diverse information extraction tasks. For instance, when tasked with extracting weather values, they capture the intended information and consider related elements like climate values, seamlessly incorporating synonyms and semantics. This advanced level of comprehension establishes LLMs as a dynamic and adaptive choice in the domain of data extraction.  

Harnessing Parallel Processing Capabilities 

LLMs use parallel processing, making tasks quicker and more efficient. Unlike sequential models, LLMs optimize resource distribution, resulting in accelerated data extraction tasks. This enhances speed and contributes to the extraction process’s overall performance.  

Adapting to Varied Data Types 

While some models like Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) are limited to specific sequences, LLMs handle non-sequence-specific data, accommodating varied sentence structures effortlessly. This versatility encompasses diverse data forms such as tables and images. 

Enhancing Processing Pipelines 

The use of LLMs marks a significant shift in automating both preprocessing and post-processing stages. LLMs reduce the need for manual effort by automating extraction processes accurately, streamlining the handling of unstructured data. Their extensive training on diverse datasets enables them to identify patterns and correlations missed by traditional methods. 

Source: A pipeline on Generative AI

This figure of a generative AI pipeline illustrates the applicability of models such as BERT, GPT, and OPT in data extraction. These LLMs can perform various NLP operations, including data extraction. Typically, the generative AI model provides a prompt describing the desired data, and the ensuing response contains the extracted data. For instance, a prompt like “Extract the names of all the vendors from this purchase order” can yield a response containing all vendor names present in the semi-structured report. Subsequently, the extracted data can be parsed and loaded into a database table or a flat file, facilitating seamless integration into organizational workflows. 

Evolving AI Frameworks: RNNs to Transformers in Modern Data Extraction 

Generative AI operates within an encoder-decoder framework featuring two collaborative neural networks. The encoder processes input data, condensing essential features into a “Context Vector.” This vector is then utilized by the decoder for generative tasks, such as language translation. This architecture, leveraging neural networks like RNNs and Transformers, finds applications in diverse domains, including machine translation, image generation, speech synthesis, and data entity extraction. These networks excel in modeling intricate relationships and dependencies within data sequences. 

Recurrent Neural Networks 

Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) have been designed to tackle sequence tasks like translation and summarization, excelling in certain contexts. However, they struggle with accuracy in tasks involving long-range dependencies.  

 RNNs excel in extracting key-value pairs from sentences yet, face difficulty with table-like structures. Addressing this requires careful consideration of sequence and positional placement, requiring specialized approaches to optimize data extraction from tables. However, their adoption was limited due to low ROI and subpar performance on most text processing tasks, even after being trained on large volumes of data. 

Long Short-Term Memory Networks 

Long Short-Term Memory (LSTMs) networks emerge as a solution that addresses the limitations of RNNs, particularly through a selective updating and forgetting mechanism. Like RNNs, LSTMs excel in extracting key-value pairs from sentences,. However, they face similar challenges with table-like structures, demanding a strategic consideration of sequence and positional elements.  

 GPUs were first used for deep learning in 2012 to develop the famous AlexNet CNN model. Subsequently, some RNNs were also trained using GPUs, though they did not yield good results. Today, despite the availability of GPUs, these models have largely fallen out of use and have been replaced by transformer-based LLMs. 

Transformer – Attention Mechanism 

The introduction of transformers, notably featured in the groundbreaking “Attention is All You Need” paper (2017), revolutionized NLP by proposing the ‘transformer’ architecture. This architecture enables parallel computations and adeptly captures long-range dependencies, unlocking new possibilities for language models. LLMs like GPT, BERT, and OPT have harnessed transformers technology. At the heart of transformers lies the “attention” mechanism, a key contributor to enhanced performance in sequence-to-sequence data processing. 

The “attention” mechanism in transformers computes a weighted sum of values based on the compatibility between the ‘query’ (question prompt) and the ‘key’ (model’s understanding of each word). This approach allows focused attention during sequence generation, ensuring precise extraction. Two pivotal components within the attention mechanism are Self-Attention, capturing importance between words in the input sequence, and Multi-Head Attention, enabling diverse attention patterns for specific relationships.  

In the context of Invoice Extraction, Self-Attention recognizes the relevance of a previously mentioned date when extracting payment amounts, while Multi-Head Attention focuses independently on numerical values (amounts) and textual patterns (vendor names). Unlike RNNs, transformers don’t inherently understand the order of words. To address this, they use positional encoding to track each word’s place in a sequence. This technique is applied to both input and output embeddings, aiding in identifying keys and their corresponding values within a document.  

The combination of attention mechanisms and positional encodings is vital for a large language model’s capability to recognize a structure as tabular, considering its content, spacing, and text markers. This skill sets it apart from other unstructured data extraction techniques.

Current Trends and Developments 

The AI space unfolds with promising trends and developments, reshaping the way we extract information from unstructured data. Let’s delve into the key facets shaping the future of this field. 

Advancements in Large Language Models (LLMs) 

Generative AI is witnessing a transformative phase, with LLMs taking center stage in handling complex and diverse datasets for unstructured data extraction. Two notable strategies are propelling these advancements: 

Multimodal Learning: LLMs are expanding their capabilities by simultaneously processing various types of data, including text, images, and audio. This development enhances their ability to extract valuable information from diverse sources, increasing their utility in unstructured data extraction. Researchers are exploring efficient ways to use these models, aiming to eliminate the need for GPUs and enable the operation of large models with limited resources.

RAG Applications: Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) is an emerging trend that combines large pre-trained language models with external search mechanisms to enhance their capabilities. By accessing a vast corpus of documents during the generation process, RAG transforms basic language models into dynamic tools tailored for both business and consumer applications.

Evaluating LLM Performance 

The challenge of evaluating LLMs’ performance is met with a strategic approach, incorporating task-specific metrics and innovative evaluation methodologies. Key developments in this space include: 

Fine-tuned metrics: Tailored evaluation metrics are emerging to assess the quality of information extraction tasks. Precision, recall, and F1-score metrics are proving effective, particularly in tasks like entity extraction.

Human Evaluation: Human assessment remains pivotal alongside automated metrics, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of LLMs. Integrating automated metrics with human judgment, hybrid evaluation methods offer a nuanced view of contextual correctness and relevance in extracted information.

Image and Document Processing  

Multimodal LLMs have completely replaced OCR. Users can convert scanned text from images and documents into machine-readable text, with the ability to identify and extract information directly from visual content using vision-based modules. 

Data Extraction from Links and Websites 

LLMs are evolving to meet the increasing demand for data extraction from websites and web links These models are increasingly adept at web scraping, converting data from web pages into structured formats. This trend is invaluable for tasks like news aggregation, e-commerce data collection, and competitive intelligence, enhancing contextual understanding and extracting relational data from the web. 

The Rise of Small Giants in Generative AI 

The first half of 2023 saw a focus on developing huge language models based on the “bigger is better” assumption. Yet, recent results show that smaller models like TinyLlama and Dolly-v2-3B, with less than 3 billion parameters, excel in tasks like reasoning and summarization, earning them the title of “small giants.” These models use less compute power and storage, making AI more accessible to smaller companies without the need for expensive GPUs. 

Conclusion 

Early generative AI models, including generative adversarial networks (GANs) and variational auto encoders (VAEs), introduced novel approaches for managing image-based data. However, the real breakthrough came with transformer-based large language models. These models surpassed all prior techniques in unstructured data processing owing to their encoder-decoder structure, self-attention, and multi-head attention mechanisms, granting them a deep understanding of language and enabling human-like reasoning capabilities. 

 While generative AI, offers a promising start to mining textual data from reports, the scalability of such approaches is limited. Initial steps often involve OCR processing, which can result in  errors, and challenges persist in extracting text from images within reports.  

 Whereas, extracting text inside the images in reports is another challenge. Embracing solutions like multimodal data processing and token limit extensions in GPT-4, Claud3, Gemini offers a promising path forward. However, it’s important to note that these models are accessible solely through APIs. While using APIs for data extraction from documents is both effective and cost-efficient, it comes with its own set of limitations such as latency, limited control, and security risks.  

 A more secure and customizable solution lies in fine tuning an in-house LLM. This approach not only mitigates data privacy and security concerns but also enhances control over the data extraction process. Fine-tuning an LLM for document layout understanding and for grasping the meaning of text based on its context offers a robust method for extracting key-value pairs and line items. Leveraging zero-shot and few-shot learning, a finetuned model can adapt to diverse document layouts, ensuring efficient and accurate unstructured data extraction across various domains. 

[devnagri]

How to Use an Online Image to Text Converter: Simplified Guide

The ability to convert images to text is just one of the many ways that technology in this digital age has made our lives simpler. Whether you need to extract text from a scanned document, a text-filled photo, or any other image that contains text, these tools come in very helpful. This tutorial will explain, in simple terms, how to use an image to text converter online.

What is an Image to Text Converter?

An online tool that uses Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to identify and extract text from images is called an image to text converter. By examining the structures, patterns, and shapes of the characters inside the picture OCR technology transforms images into editable text format.

How Does It Work?

Upload Your Image: Uploading the image with the text you wish to extract is the first step to converting the image to text by using image to text converter online. You may submit images in a variety of formats. The majority of online converters allow you to upload images in JPEG, PNG, TIFF, PDF etc.

Initiate Conversion: to start the conversion process select the relevant button (typically marked "Convert" or "Extract Text") after the picture has been uploaded.

Text Extraction: After analysing the image, the OCR technology will extract the text from it. Depending on the image's complexity and the text's size, this process could take a few seconds.

Review and Edit: Following the completion of the conversion, the extracted text will show up on the screen. It is crucial to review the content, and then make any required changes. OCR can occasionally misread certain characters or words, particularly in cases where the image quality is low.

Save or Copy Text: After the text has been extracted to your satisfaction, you can copy it to the clipboard for later use or save it to your device in a variety of formats, including TXT, DOC, PDF, etc.

Benefits of Using an Image to Text Converter Online:

Time-Saving:  It can be time-consuming when you manually transcrib text images especially when there is a lot of text to translate. It can take a while to manually transcribe text from images, particularly when there is a lot of text. Image to text converters online help you save time and effort.

Accessibility: Text that has been converted from images is better accessible for those with visual impairments since screen readers and other assistive technology can read it.

Versatility: Image to text converters are flexible tools for a variety of tasks since they can accept a wide range of image formats, including screenshots, handwritten notes, scanned documents, and more.

Conclusion:

To sum up, if you want to extract texts from images, image to text converters online are incredibly useful resources; they extract your text precisely and rapidly. by following the easy instructions given in this guide you can quickly convert photos to editable text. Regardless of whether you're a professional, student, or just trying to organise your work Image to text converters online can greatly increase your productivity and efficiency.

Source: How to Use an Online Image to Text Converter: Simplified Guide

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UGC NET 2024 Rescheduled: Exam Now on June 18th to Avoid UPSC Prelims Clash

Important Update for Aspiring Lecturers and Researchers!

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com The National Testing Agency (NTA) has postponed the UGC NET 2024 exam, originally scheduled for June 16th, to Tuesday, June 18th, 2024. This decision was made in response to concerns raised by candidates about a clash with the UPSC Civil Services Prelims exam, also held on June 16th. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the UGC NET 2024 exam reschedule, including the new date, reasons for the change, and essential information for test-takers.

Revised UGC NET 2024 Exam Schedule

Exam NamePrevious DateNew DateUGC NET June 2024June 16, 2024 (Sunday)June 18, 2024 (Tuesday)

Reasons for the Reschedule

The NTA received numerous requests from candidates to reschedule the UGC NET exam due to the conflict with the UPSC Civil Services Prelims. Recognizing the potential hardship for students appearing in both exams, the authorities decided to postpone the UGC NET to ensure a fair testing environment for all.

What to Expect Now

- Exam Mode: The UGC NET will be conducted in OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) mode across India on a single day, June 18th, 2024. - Exam Pattern: There will likely be no changes to the established UGC NET exam pattern. The exam will consist of two papers – Paper I (General Awareness) and Paper II (Subject-specific). - Exam City Intimation: The NTA will release the exam city intimation slips approximately 10 days before the exam. Candidates can download these slips from the official UGC NET website: https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/. - Registration: The UGC NET 2024 registration process is ongoing and will continue until May 10th, 2024.

Here's a Chart Summarizing the Key Points

FeatureDetailsExam NameUGC NET June 2024Originally Scheduled DateJune 16, 2024New Exam DateJune 18, 2024 (Tuesday)Reason for RescheduleClash with UPSC Civil Services Prelims ExamExam ModeOMR (Optical Mark Recognition)Registration DeadlineMay 10, 2024Website for Updateshttps://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/

FAQs for UGC NET 2024 Aspirants

Q: Will the exam pattern be changed due to the reschedule? A: The official notification from the NTA doesn't mention any changes to the exam pattern. It's safe to assume the format will remain the same as previous years (Paper I - General Awareness, Paper II - Subject-specific). Q: How can I download the exam city intimation slip? A: The NTA will upload the city intimation slips approximately 10 days before the exam on the official UGC NET website. You'll need your login credentials to access the slip. Q: Is the registration process still open? A: Yes, the registration window for UGC NET 2024 is currently ongoing and will close on May 10th, 2024. Q: What should I do if I haven't registered yet? A: If you haven't registered, visit the UGC NET website and complete the online application process before the deadline. Q: Where can I find resources to prepare for the UGC NET exam? A: Numerous resources are available online and offline to help you prepare for the UGC NET. The NTA website might provide some sample papers and previous years' question papers. Additionally, you can find textbooks, online coaching materials, and mock tests specifically designed for the UGC NET exam. Conclusion The postponement of the UGC NET 2024 exam provides some much-needed relief for candidates appearing in both UGC NET and UPSC Civil Services Prelims. This change ensures a fair opportunity for all test-takers. Remember to utilize the additional time effectively to solidify Read the full article