#The original programming differs from the final implementation of the tool in a way that caused it to Nope out of its final design.

[al-n-cartoons]

I drew this one a few days ago and never posted it for reasons I forget.

Here's the current reference sheet for the Ben of A Story Told. He has about a million different pseudo names (his friends generally call xer “Benj” or “Benja” whereas xer coworkers and family call him “Ben” or “Benjamin”). His hero name is “Ten Speed”, which he came up with at the age of ten for an email address and it he never outgrew it. His car is called it, his username is it, xe has tried to ‘anonymously’ use it to fly under the radar (and failed fantastically but xe was a child so it's to be expected).

Xe is closeted in public, around family, and just generally when in xer home dimension bit is openly omnigender and poly outside of it. Xer longest standing relationship is a comet with a rock musician in Danny's hometown.

He's not too crazy about dresses (and prefers pants) but does enjoy them on occasion. His preferred style is more geared towards athletic and loose.

-

His Omnitrix scrambled out of its outer casing when he was about ten years old but it went unnoticed until he tried to take it off. Without the outer casing's hardware, xe was unable to control/select xer form nor acquire easy charge. Xe went on to wear the casing sparsely, mostly just to keep the Omnitrix from putting a drain on his body. Transforming without the outer casing is difficult to do on command and near impossible to get right.

The Ultimatrix was supposed to replace the Omnitrix and correct the old programming. The Omnitrix makes the very mature and not tantrum-like decision to cannibalize the Ultimatrix from the inside out, using its parts for replacements and rewiring the Ultimatrix to suite its needs.

The latest edition of the Omnitrix is an attempt to compromise with the original, or so Ben was told. In actuality, it was a failed attempt to deactivate the Omnitrix and replace it with something closer to the intended design. Azmuth might have outdone himself in designing the original's AI…

-

Through trial and error, Benj found a secondary source of power for the Omnitrix so as to keep it from making him sick. At the same time, he learned that he can do and tolerate certain things previously believed exclusive to energy beings. This is how xe was able to get xer ectotattoos; a kind of body art practiced by ghosts and halfas. Eyed viewers might notice that Left and Right are labeled in this image. I a, certain that the artist did not get those confused several times over and that her immense decisiveness will not cause the design and placement of the tattoos to fluctuate across art pieces.

-

A decision from Rex in a desperate situation led to the Omnitrix's parameters to be irreversibly broadened. Whereas before it had cared only about protection of its data and a baseline frequency of transformations, now it monitors its host's (Benj's) vitals. A risk to Ben is a risk to the system; the Omnitrix must now generate defensive and offensive mechanisms for their shared wellbeing.

The amulet was a last ditch attempt to appease the Omnitrix after a freak accident lands Ben in an intensive care unit.

[uraharashouten]

No offense meant but I really think youre wrong about AI

AI in the context of art and writing HAS to take sources from other people. Online AI generators cant operate without stealing from other creators, and is being used to minimize the work actual artists and writers do. All tech is AN AI but a computer or website isnt going to steal your work, assimilate it and spit it back out for someone else without your knowledge, consent or input. AI in general has ethical issues when implemented into society. And honestly not all progress is good progress. The current AI tech is bad regardless of hows its used and is very different than just being a computer program, its only purpose is to mix up artistic input and spit it out for others benefit

The fact is, even if artists get a say, its tech that fundamentally tries to bypass the hard work and ACTUAL technical aspects of art to mimic it. Maybe it can move forward in the future but its not a good idea to say that the way its being used is the only problem. New tech isn’t automatically bad or good, how people use it does matter. Comparing the real world use of this tech to steal from artists to fictional characters who happen to be artificial creations isn’t ok. You can choose not to have negative consequences in a fictional world, but not in reality. And just because something works out okay in a story doesn't mean its a good idea. Artificial life is itself an entire ethical debate thats gone on for decades and cant be boiled down to good or bad.

It's always nice to know people are reading this blog. Thanks for your thoughtful input.

I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek with the reference to fictional characters, but how AI is applied to real-world creative enterprises is indeed a significant issue. One major problem has been around the data sets used to train various AI models, and those being used to generate 'art' are only one facet of the problem. Take, just for one example, AI used to sift resumes—if the training data favors a particular demographic bias, guess which ones get filtered out a priori? Ethical questions around use and application of AI abound. Use of artificial intelligence is a complex and nuanced issue.

The damage has been done with the most popular tools, such as ChatGPT and DALL-E, but it would be possible for artists and writers to consent to using their works to train AI tools, in which case, there'd be no stealing. (I personally would be intrigued to see what would happen if this blog were used to train an AI, so I'd consent to that.) But if we begin to rely broadly on the AI to generate art, where does that leave artists? Where does that leave innovation and originality? If everything is a mélange and regurgitated hodgepodge that looks good enough, where does that leave our expectations? Our aspirations? That doesn't sound like human flourishing to me.

Now, before we get all high and mighty about how original we are, let me point out that humans have always loved to copy one another. In a sense, all art is derivative; that's why we have archetypes and tropes. We influence one another, but we'll only ever be similar, not identical, and that's part of the beauty of creativity. I can write someone else's characters (thank you Kubo Tite) but I will never exactly replicate perfectly the way the creator did it. And that's a beautiful thing. Likewise, an artifical intelligence won't duplicate an original; it'll just take inspiration from it, in the same way a human would. But it might do that faster and cheaper, if not better. And that's part of the problem. But... we will need to grapple with all this as a society, because it's not going away.

Finally: the real reason for that post? If you've read this far, you deserve to know. I understand that the PSA that's been going around is an attempt to establish a new cultural norm for how artificially-generated content is regarded... by using fear of being replaced by AI to justify ostracizing anyone who uses any form of it, as determined subjectively. And frankly, anything that uses fear, uncertainty and doubt to create in-groups and out-groups in the RPC—or frankly, anywhere else— just rubs me the wrong way.

[lady-harrowhark]

currently sitting in the workroom crying and trembling with relief.

my program just sent out the list of practicum placement sites for next year. my former supervisor isn't listed anywhere. she won't be formally supervising any more of our students. she won't be abusing any more of our students.

i haven't had the emotional energy to talk much about the more recent updates, but here's the recap (i am really only scratching the surface here) for anyone who's been following along and/or who is interested:

last year, i was in a clinical practicum site at a hospital with a supervisor who is completely incompetent (and i believe actively harmful to patients) and abusive to students. she's been awful for years prior, but it ramped up with me (i came in with a lot more experience than the previous students and her behavior is a very transparent inferiority thing). even after they met with the site director to address issues, it finally got so bad that in april, my program pulled me from the placement early (it's meant to go a full year until june) which they've never had to do before, as far as my program director is aware. because our students are funded through our placements, the program was thankfully able to come up with funds for me for the last two-ish months.

i'm co-advised by two faculty members, one of whom was technically my primary advisor. he is also the practicum coordinator. this particular site is very important to him specifically because it's the only site (and even the only possible site in our city) for clinical experience in the somewhat niche area of our field that he and his students (including me) are in. which he trots out as a recruitment tool to potentials students and applicants, all while knowing what's been going on there. which is to say, there is a huge conflict of interest.

and this year, after all that, they still assigned a student to that site/supervisor. to literally no one's surprise, it has continued to be awful. i ended up going over my one advisor's head (with the support of my other advisor and program director) to lodge a formal letter of concern with proposed policy changes to the practicum system to better protect students that went out to the entire faculty. i'm sure it didn't look good for my advisor, and he's been ignoring me since. they agreed to implement a few of my most minor, low effort recommendations.

the hospital has another branch in a city about an hour away, and they recently announced that the unit this practicum placement is in is all going to be housed in the other city starting this summer. and the placement memo says that next year's student will be working there, under that supervisor, not the one i had. there are two other placement roles with that hospital, but one now lists someone else's name as the supervisor (will still be at the original location because it works with a different population/unit but previously had the same supervisor as i had), and the other says it will split time between the two locations and does not have a supervisor listed.

i've spent nearly two years of my life fighting back against this placement and this site. at first it was just trying to make it through each day there while trying to compensate and make sure patients didn't suffer for her incompetence and bitterness, trying to prevent anyone else from having to go through that after me, trying to recover and get back on track after leaving, and burning bridges with my advisor with my efforts to keep any future students out of there. if it were up to me, that supervisor would have her license revoked. infuriatingly, the statutory codes are written in such a specific way that i don't have anything to bring against her that would stick, but believe me, i've investigated the possibility.

i think i deserve a nap now that that weight is off.

[townofcrosshollow]

Twine Sugarcube 102: Stats n’ Stuff

Finally, the long awaited sequel to my original Twine tutorial! Long awaited by me, because I’ve been meaning to make another one but I just haven’t gotten around to it. If you need a refresher on what that tutorial covered, feel free to go check it out here. But now, it’s time to talk a little bit about stats!

As usual, the tutorial (below the cut) should be perfectly beginner friendly and explain everything you’ll need to know to implement this into your game, although it might be a bit long! It’ll also include a bit at the end telling you how to install and use custom macros. Enjoy!

In Twine, there’s no distinct thing called a ‘stat.’ You store stats the same way you’d store information about what the player chose to eat that morning or whether they picked up an item. Using variables. Variables, if you don’t recall, are little pieces of information that can vary over time. In Twine, they’re represented by a $ before the variable’s name- so $health might be how you track a player’s health, and $hasKey might be how you track whether a player has a key.

Setting Stats

So, let’s say we want to track a stat called.... $stat. Well, first, we’re going to have to set that stat. Sugarcube has a bunch of “special passages” that do special things in the game, such as adding text or links to the sidebar. In our case, we’re looking to name a passage “StoryInit.” Whatever code is contained in this passage will run silently in the background as soon as the player opens the game, which means it’s great for setting defaults.

This is where you’ll decide what numbers you want to use to track stats. You might go for something like numbers from 0 to 100, but personally I’m going to use numbers from 0 to 1 (for easier compatibility with the meter macro I’ll introduce later on!). We’re going to start halfway through, as a sort of “neutral” that the player starts with. So, in the StoryInit passage, we’ll add this:

<<set $stat to 0.5>>

Simple enough. But how do we edit that number? Let’s say we give the player two options to proceed, with the first increasing $stat and the second decreasing $stat. All we have to do is add a setter to our link. This is what normal links in Sugarcube look like:

[[Option 1|Passage1]] [[Option 2|Passage2]]

To add setters to those links, we just have to insert two square brackets between the last set and add what we might add to a <<set>> macro. So like this:

[[Option 1|Passage1][$stat += 0.1]] [[Option 2|Passage2][$stat -= 0.1]]

In case you don’t remember, the “+=“ means that the engine will add 0.1 to the current value of $stat, and then replace $stat with the result. So if a player chooses option 1, their value of $stat will now equal 0.6, and if they choose option 2, it’ll equal 0.4.

Using Stats

Now that we know how to change a player’s stats, though, how are we going to implement it? Well, of course, we can use the <<if>> macro to show different text to players with different stats. Let’s say we want a character to say two different lines of dialogue based on whether the player has 0.6 or more in a stat or if they have less than that. We might do something a bit like this:

<<if $stat gte 0.6>>\ “This is a line of dialogue!” <<else>>\ “This is another line of dialogue!” <</if>>\

“gte” means “greater than or equal to,” the same as >. If the stat is greater than or equal to 0.6, the game will display that line of dialogue. If not, the macro will continue down and display what’s under the “else” instead.

That’s all well and good, but if you’re including stats in your game, you probably want to implement more than just cosmetic changes. A common idea is to make certain options only available to players with high enough stats, or make an action’s success or failure depend on their stats. To achieve that, we’ll use a combination of links and the <<if>> macro.

First, here’s an example where the link will bring you to a different page depending on your speed stat. It will display the link “Run!” and the <<if>> macro will test whether the player has a speed of 0.6 or higher. If they do, they will be redirected to the passage “Escape.” If not, they will be redirected to the passage “Caught.”

<<link ‘Run!’>>     <<if $speed gte 0.6>>\         <<goto ‘Escape’>>\     <<else>>\         <<goto ‘Caught’>>\     <</if>>\ <</link>>\

Here’s another example that uses similar methods to tell whether you’re good enough, but instead of redirecting to different pages, the option will only be available if you’ve got the right stats.

<<if $speed gte 0.6>>\ [[Run!|Escape]] <</if>>\

The problem with that sort of method is that if players don’t know they missed out on something, they can be less likely to replay the game. So instead, we can try putting grayed out text where the link would be, indicating to the player that they need better stats to proceed. Remember to add a class like “gray” or “grayed-out” to your stylesheet to change the colour of that text. We’ll also add a little indicator to the link to show them what stat they need to improve to proceed in this way.

<<if $speed gte 0.6>>\ [[Run! (Speed 60)|Escape]] <<else>>\ <span-class=‘grayed-out’>Run! (Speed 60)</span> <</if>>\

But how does a player know if they have a high enough stat to proceed? Well, you can always display it on the screen by just typing $stat. That will show the pure number, meaning “$stat%” would show “60%” if $stat were set to 60. But if you want something fancier, you can instead use a meter! And I’m going to use this as an opportunity to explain...

Installing and Using Custom Macros

If you want to do something cool that isn’t part of the basic Sugarcube format, chances are, somebody might have made a custom macro for it! In this case, we’ll be using the Meter Macro Set by ChapelR.

These custom macros are surprisingly easy to install. All you need to do is open your game’s Javascript (in the same menu as the stylesheet). In the case of this macro, we’ll click the “minified” option, copy it, and paste it all into our Javascript file. With some macros you’ll also need to add code to the stylesheet, but not this one. Installation done! Now Twine knows how to create meters!

Most custom macros are pretty easy to use and will list instructions below- typically you just have to add some variables in and it’ll work right out of the box. This one is a bit harder and requires some prep, so let’s go through it step-by-step.

Remember StoryInit? Open that back up again, cause we’ll need to use it. By running the <<newmeter>> macro in StoryInit, it’ll set up the meters we’ll be displaying on screen.

<<newmeter 'Stat' $stat>>      <<colors 'gray' 'gray' 'white'>>      <<sizing '50%' '2em'>>     <<label Stat black center>> <</newmeter>>

So what we’ve created there is a meter that tracks the $stat variable. It is titled “Stat” so that we know how to reference it later. The colours section determines what parts of the meter are different colours, the sizing determines how wide and tall it is (50% wide, 2em tall), and the label section creates a red label in the center of the macro that says ‘Stat.’ All of those sub-sections are optional, so if you don’t need a label or you’re happy with the default size, feel free to leave them out.

Now whenever we want the player to see that meter, such as in a dedicated stats page, we’ll just have to type this:

<<showmeter ‘Stat’ $stat>>

And voila, we have a meter!

...admittedly, it’s not the nicest looking meter. But with these tools you can surely make something magnificent!

I hope this tutorial was helpful! This topic is the one I see asked about the most, so I figured I would step in and see if I could give people a hand with it. Of course, as always, if you have any questions about what I talked about here or about any other Twine-coding-related stuff, feel free to send me an ask and I’ll be happy to give you some pointers! Twine is a really fun program to code with, and I hope this inspires some folks out there to give it a shot as well :’)

[trevorfkyi452]

Photo organizer software

My tool is actually a complete photo organizer software suite, but it is just one which puts your user initially, assisting to highlight their greatest creative solutions within as straightforward a process as you can. Even so, that software is simple to handle even if they have actually not ever tried out working with software to change this pictures before. If making so, this shades constantly appear unrealistic, specially that skin layer shades in which seem for being moreover lemon or chrome. One more main purpose in which is normally also included during that excellent photo organizer program is truly the photograph album designer what is truly easy to manage.

People can easily get that under this effect selection of that photo organizer software alongside additional techniques a plenty of uses just like sort images. Each time you perform objects within photo organizer software or whatever article processing software application anybody are usually making use to your photographs.

Currently there are generally plenty of different techniques to find duplicate photos of a photograph together with picture making it may consume ages to do them altogether. Currently there is also a whole print studio in which customers may take benefit of to organize all of their publishing needs. However just before we start with that several functions of picture preparing, people produce a short quit on your original photograph, because the most necessary point just before the entire arranging event is usually the lighting. Each of those techniques that make photo organizer stand apart from substandard application for photograph making might be find through that method's data menu in the primary display.

Inside that photography, they commonly can desaturate our that this reds if capturing in exterior areas by a lot of greenery making up that setting being will be found along with a bunch of turf, trees and bushes. During a long period we have really been normally taking photo organizer at this personal computer as well as plenty of previous types of Windows 8.

Right before you even get hands on your camera, you need to have to adjust your own self up for successes along with the right photo organizer software

Somehow they discover my classic image album creates a better task for reducing and categorizing pictures to me, so that I take that for my review calendar as well as short solutions, and then visit photo organizer software if they require a few results like manage images. Photo organizer will ensure more help just after it really comes time to sort images a picture album to demonstrate the job. For all this moments while a tiny fleck out of filth produces its way within the photo, this place healing sweeper appears practical. Include several very good photo organizer, my computer software blends our general functions you will really need everyday for expert functions which anybody will merely take once for a period for extraordinary photographic projects.

Since everybody work with some features out of a photograph, but these are literally chosen to will make our taken photographs far better. That is generally based at this bottom left hand side of the display and it really supports them to focus and also outside of the section concerned. The set up assistant will produce a personal computer shortcut, supposing that you want it, as well as may let them to use a band skin layer whenever this is what the rest of that software programs are simply readied to use. If ever you introduce our visitors with the unprepared images that are typically faulty, they do never draw out that wished style, yet that photo organizer software effects our intention to make sure which we enjoy premium quality photographs. The computer software is furthermore very beneficial to find a picture puzzle or even an image album in boosting our three dimensional style out from the image you are literally making adjusting to. The second they press on a specific option, the computer software will often open a new window to get them to operate within. This stamping studio moreover obtains an auto image realignment attribute that provides people together with a method for the design of calendars, image books, photo collages or even photo montages. Everybody can usually run that photo organizer to offer that images an original pen draw shape.

Furthermore, our photo organizer is pleased to everyone that supply products over the internet as well as need to reveal that packages within just as great a light as can be. Whenever there are very big sections inside this photograph that we need to delete, we may utilize find pictures at the top inside this sidebar settings to produce it really more efficient. Made use by skilled to conceal locations inside of pictures or even to shift details at a photograph from one place to an additional, that amazing functionality will certainly really help you to strengthen their picture taking to a different stage in relations to post production. The second they call for photo organizer software based for example most of what is pointed out shown below continue to applies, though some of that functions will probably be literally varying.

Thinking about photo organizer software to search photos or find duplicate photos

Free download photo organizer software for rookies and even professionals and even program to delete duplicate pictures for organize photos or even find duplicate photos

Most photo organizer software features several along with their platform, even though these be not normally actually wonderful as well as you can look for an abundance of options easily available to save. Anyone that sort pictures, regardless if they manage a store or maybe are simply a casual digital photographer, can probably implement its own most skilled functions. Almost all of taking photo organizer program operated is standard feeling simply, though there actually is loads of allowance to perform your special stuff.

The time people get photo organizer, you will probably be certainly revealed to some of the most advanced picture adjustment uses what they may possibly long for, every outlined at an understandable look what causes their whole application software youngster's enjoy to use. Also the very most uneducated novice can probably eventually be an expert within redesigning by having my great software tool. Mainly these prominent pictures at photo organizer software a web site and the major blogs whose look we like so very much. By using this photo organizer software they have to do this find duplicate photos or even sort images at one time, and afterwards transfer this ultimate photo to the laptop computer. Whilst photo organizer software is frequently utilized for making photos to become provided at social networks, you can customize our own unique lengths whenever we don't have a layout inside our ideal size. Utilizing photo organizer program is usually facilitated to delete duplicate pictures image montages and image montages, since the software application contains a very convenient client manual. Working with it, they can generate business notes, publish a photograph portfolio or maybe set together a set about small photos for a review.

Their images take time to produce yet this does not say they just cannot purchase a specialist aim to an image in simply a tiny time frame upon a piece of photo organizer program founded. Which is usually your previous production operations from this time you transfer the photographs upon the computer until the minute you think about the image finished. This attributes could pretty much be located anytime, yet we have not monitored various other photo organizer software to discover if it really includes all those functions, though people believe it really does. Anytime we select any of that pictures function like remove duplicate images, a different screen will appear together with a view of exactly how your image could look just after finalizing.

Since it really is actually soon after this, just after rather strenuous research, they found other options that were normally both very much more efficient and even more productive. My photo organizer software is usually a wide-ranging photo generating package what is truly perfect for professional photograph makers and even somebody who simply wish to clean duplicate our photos look greater along with a bit of building. Their easiest strategy to identify whether the shade is off in a photograph is to look into an element which needs to be literally yellowish.

[honestlyfancyobject]

How to convert YouTube videos to MP3

By following the instructions I gave you in my tutorial dedicated to the subject , you finally managed to know the way to download videos from YouTube without dalliance . However, if you're now here and you're reading this guide, it seems clear to me that you simply haven't yet been ready to find a satisfactory solution that permits you to download the live videos of your favorite singers and save them in MP3 format, so you'll hear them. smoothly on your portable player.

I'm wrong? No, here it's . Then let me offer you this point too, some useful recommendations on what to try to do . Give me a couple of minutes of your precious time also as your attention and that i will show you, during a simple but at an equivalent time detailed way, the way to convert YouTube videos to MP3 . I anticipate directly that to try to do this you only have to resort to the utilization of some special computer programs, very easy to use (even for those that , a touch such as you , don't consider themselves exactly an expert in computer science) and highly intuitive.

What does one say? the thought of downloading new software on your PC (or Mac) doesn't suit you considerably and would you wish to understand if there's any alternative? in fact yes, God forbid. you'll also do everything directly from the browser, using specific online services, also as from mobile, through special applications for Android and iOS. But now just chat and let's take action. Make yourself comfortable and skim everything below. i'm sure that within the end you'll be ready to tell yourself you're very happy and satisfied with what you've got learned. Good fun!

Warning: Use the tools indicated during this guide only and exclusively to download legally distributed music from YouTube or for live variants of the songs you already own within the original version, practically the videos with an ingenious Commons or open source license. it's absolutely not my intention to encourage the implementation of illegal activities, therefore I don't take any responsibility for the utilization that you simply will actually make of the instructions contained within the post.

Media Human YouTube to MP3 Converter (Windows / Mac)

The first of the useful resources i would like to speak to you about is Media Human YouTube to MP3 Converter . it's a free program available for Windows and Mac that permits you to download YouTube music videos and automatically convert them to MP3 while keeping the standard of the first file intact. Despite the name, videos also can be saved in OGG or M4A format with a bitrate up to 320 kbps.

You inquire from me the way to use it? I'll point it bent you directly . the primary step you would like to require is to attach to the program's website and click on on the Download YouTubeToMP3 link on the left.

When the download is complete, if you're using Windows, open the .exe file you only obtained and click on first on Run then on Yes . Then put the check next to the item I accept the terms of the license agreement and complete the setup by clicking on Next four consecutive times then on Install and on Finish .

If, on the opposite hand, what you're using may be a Mac, open the downloaded .dmg package and drag the Media Human YouTube to MP3 Converter icon onto the Applications folder via the Finder window that opened on the screen. Then attend the Applications folder of macOS, right-click on the program icon and choose Open twice during a row.

Once the Media Human YouTube to MP3 Converter window is displayed on the screen, click the Paste Link button to stick the link of the video you would like to convert to MP3. Alternatively, click within the center of the window and paste the link directly using the key combination Ctrl + V on Windows and cmd + v on Mac. differently to insert the link is to tug it directly into the program window.

Finally, return to the most program window, click on the down arrow at the highest right and your video are going to be immediately converted to audio and saved on your computer, within the Music folder (by default).

If you then want to vary the destination folder of the songs downloaded with Media Human YouTube to MP3 Converter, click on the gear icon located at rock bottom left of the most program window and choose Preferences… from the menu that appears.

In the new window that opens on the screen, attend the Audio Output tab and alter the folder during which to save lots of the MP3s downloaded from YouTube by clicking on the Choose… button . who is at the marked Output folder: . Then save the changes made by first pressing the Apply button then the OK button .

I would also wish to means that, again from an equivalent program preferences tab, you'll change the bitrate as you think that is more appropriate by selecting it from the acceptable menu . If, on the opposite hand, you would like to intervene on quality, select the acceptable item and use the relative menu.

If you then use iTunes , you'll also set the program to automatically export the downloaded songs to the iTunes library. to try to to this, just put the check next to the increased iTunes item and choose the reference playlist from the menu below.

ClipGrab (Windows / Mac)

Are you trying to find a legitimate alternative to the above program? Then i can not help but suggest you set ClipGrab to the test . this is often a no-cost program available for Windows and Mac which, in fact, allows you to extract the audio track of videos from YouTube by saving it in MP3 format (as well as OGG). it's very simple to use. let's examine how it works directly .

To download the program on your computer, hook up with its website and press the Free Download button . When the download is complete, open the .exe file you only obtained and click on on Run , on Yes and on Next . Then accept the terms of the license agreement by ticking the acceptable option and click on Next two more times. Remove the check next to the entry for the installation of additional software (eg Opera ), click on Next again , then on Install and complete the setup by clicking on Finish .

If, on the opposite hand, what you're using may be a Mac, open the downloaded package in .dmg format and drag the program icon to the Applications folder within the Finder window that opened. Then attend the macOS Applications folder , right-click on the ClipGrab icon and choose Open twice during a row.

Now, no matter the OS , select the Downloads tab within the program window that appeared on the screen and paste the address of the YouTube video you would like to convert to MP3 within the bar at the highest . Select the MP3 (audio only) option from the Format: menu at rock bottom and use the Quality: adjacent menu to pick the standard you favor .

Finally, click on the Download this clip button ! , indicate the folder during which you would like to save lots of the computer file and await the conversion procedure of the video to MP3 song to be started and completed. Easier than that?

4K YouTube to MP3 (Windows / Mac)

Another great software, always free and available for both PC and Mac, that you simply can cash in of to convert YouTube videos to MP3 is 4K YouTube to MP3 . In fact, it's a resource capable of fulfilling the aim in question in a superb way, which is characterized by its very simple and highly intuitive interface. It allows you to save lots of the audio of the videos present on YouTube in MP3 but also in OGG and M4A. Again, you'll select the ultimate quality of the audio file also because the destination location.

You inquire from me the way to use it? I'll point it bent you directly . First, connected to the download page of the program and click on on the Download 4K YouTube to MP3 button . When the download is complete, open the file obtained, click on Run then on Next . Then check the box to simply accept the terms of use of the program and press Next again twice during a row. Then click on Install , on Yes , check the box to start out the program immediately and click on on Finish .

If, on the opposite hand, what you recognize is employing a Mac, open the .dmg package you only obtained and drag the software icon to the Applications folder via the Finder window that opened. Then attend the Applications folder of macOS, right-click on the program icon and choose Open twice during a row.

Now that you simply see the 4K YouTube to MP3 window on the screen, press the Paste Link button and therefore the link of the YouTube video you would like to save lots of the audio to MP3 are going to be pasted into the program. The download will then be started automatically. you'll then find the song in your computer's Music folder . That's all!

If you would like , you'll also immediately start playing the song you only downloaded by clicking on the Play button attached to the program window. If, on the opposite hand, you would like to directly open the folder during which it had been stored, move the pointer over it and choose the item View within the folder .

Then, before starting the download, you would like to switch the software settings by changing the ultimate quality of the file, the destination folder, etc., click on the Tools item attached to the menu bar and choose Preferences… . Therefore, adjust all the varied settings using the extra window you see appear on the screen.

Filegram (Online)

Don't feel like downloading new programs to your computer? No problem. As anticipated at the start , you'll still convert YouTube videos to MP3 by using special online services. Among the varied available on the square I suggest you contact Filegram . it's very easy to use, at no cost and is in a position to flawlessly fulfill the aim in question, directly from the online browser (any). The audio download is in top quality and also allows you to line the bitrate. In short, what more does one want?

To use it, connected to the most page of the service, paste the link of the video of your interest within the Paste the URL links here field and check the box next to the item I'm not a robot . Wait a couple of moments for the video to be “picked up” and confirm that the Audio item is chosen within the top left-hand corner and therefore the MP3 item is chosen from the relevant menu (and if not, you'll roll in the hay yourself).

[k-young-audio]

Non-creative applications in audio programming and processing.

The success of an audio processing application to be used in a creative success can be argued as subjective. In the world of plug-ins audio application has been programmed to have a purpose, but weather that purpose is successful depends on the individual using it. In some cases, an individual with a non-academic background can use the audio application in a musical sense, apply it to their music while not necessarily being able to describe what it does.

In this blog post, I want to focus on the other side of audio processing; audio applications that have been designed for a non-musical purpose. As well as delve into how we measure their success.

Audio processing for a medical use- Hearing Aids.

Within non-creative, non-musical audio devices, the hearing aid stands out as a simple design to forfill a medical need to help people who have been born with, or have developed hearing loss. Digital hearing aids are designed around and analogue/digital converter, a means to amplfy the signal, and finally a digital to analogue converter directed towards the ear drum.

Schneider. T, Brennan. R, Balsiger. P, Heubi. A (1999) An Ultra Low-power Programmable DSP System for Hearing Aids and Other Audio Applications (Online) ICSPAT’99 Proceedings, November 1-4, 1999, Orlando, FL. Available at

https://www.onsemi.jp/site/pdf/DSP_System.pdf (Accessed 18th Nov 2020)

This is a patent for technology used to describe an application specific signal processor suitable for hearing aids amongst other audio applications. This patent is particularly good at specifying the limitations of DSP in a real-time environment and offers solutions as how to conduct DSP with ultra low power. Section 3 lays out the fundamentals of the programming design. This source is dated and is not relevant to creating audio plug-ins specifically, and, although dated, the information provided is valuable as an insight into the fundamentals of DSP theory in audio as the hearing aid was a breakthrough in ultra low powered DSP.

Digital hearing aids are now the standard QUOTE, so we can see, objectively, that the development of the hearing aid as an audio device was a success.

Audio processing for support evidence -Audio forensics.

Audio forensics is a field where audio is used to obtain evidence through enhancing or processing an audio signal to gather information to support a criminal or civil case. This process is non-creative and non-musical, and should be approached with an objective mindset as the aim is not to make something sound good musically, but use audio as a means to support an investigation.

“Audio forensic evidence may come from a criminal investigation by law enforcement or as part of an official inquiry into an accident, fraud, accusation of slander, or some other civil incident. The primary aspects of audio forensics are establishing the authenticity of audio evidence, performing enhancement of audio recordings to improve speech intelligibility and the audibility of low-level sounds, and interpreting and documenting sonic evidence, such as identifying talkers, transcribing dialog, and reconstructing crime or accident scenes and timelines.” (Audio Forensics Expert, n.d.)

Upon investigating signal processing in audio forensics, I encountered this article, supporting the idea that audio forensics is an entirely different discipline to audio engineering.  “Audio engineers can go with whatever feels good, without worrying about documenting their processes, but forensic analysts must only apply what can be referenced and proven to be an accepted technique, and have to write down everything. And with the implementation of the ISO 17025 guidelines making the transition to the audio forensics world infinitely more difficult, anyone who wants to get into the field in the future could find themselves jumping through a whole lot more hoops.“ (Zjalic, 2018)

I feel article relays an important message, especially within my professional practice of audio programming; understanding that audio isn’t just about producing audio for a creative means, and there is another side that requires objectivity and an understanding of the physics and inner workings of sound.

One notable case where audio was used as supporting evidence was the Watergate case, an example that shows not only that audio can be used as evidence, but “doctored” audio can be detected and used as supporting evidence too. Below I have included an extract from an article describing the audio tapes in the Watergate cover-up.

“In 1974, interest turned to a particular recording of a con- versation between President Nixon and his Chief of Staff H. R. Haldeman recorded in 1972 in the EOB. The investigators were suspicious that the recorded conversation included re- marks about the Watergate cover-up, but when the record- ing was examined, the investigators discovered that 181⁄2 minutes of the recording were obliterated by an unexplained gap consisting of audible buzz sounds but no discernable speech. Investigators suspected that someone had deliber- ately erased or recorded over that section of the tape to de- stroy the originally recorded conversation, perhaps with the intention of eliminating incriminating remarks.

John J. Sirica, Chief Judge of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, determined that the potentially altered tape required expert analysis beyond the routine capability of the court (McKnight and Weiss, 1976). He requested that the Watergate Special Prosecutor and the counsel for the president jointly nominate a group of six outside technical experts (including several ASA members) to form a special Advisory Panel on White House Tapes “...to study relevant aspects of the tape and the sounds recorded on it” (Advisory Panel on White House Tapes, 1974).

The Advisory Panel analysed the physical tape itself and the electrical signals observed on playback and, ultimately of greatest importance, performed magnetic development us- ing ferrofluid to reveal latent magnetic domain patterns on the tape and the magnetization signatures of the recording and erase heads installed in the tape recorders known to be present in the White House. The magnetic development of the tape led the Advisory Panel to the conclusion that the 181⁄2-minute gap consisted of several overlapping start-stop erasures performed with a specific tape recorder available in the White House but not the same device that was used to make the original recording (Advisory Panel on White House Tapes, 1974).” (The New York Times, 1974)

A piece of audio should be subjected to critical analysis when being used as evidence, the reliability of the audio can be questionable “Assessing the reliability of audio forensic opinions can be a challenge. Unlike DNA comparisons that can be expressed in a formal statistical sense, a forensic acoustics question such as “Is the utterance present in the evidentiary recording the voice of Suspect A?” (Maher, 2016)Especially if the audio is from a low quality source and noises can be difficult to determine.

Modern audio tools have been programmed to change the audio in order to help determine noise sources and allow for a clearer picture for the listener to make an informed critical analysis of what they are listening to. An example of these are some of the audio tools in Izotope RX. RX allows the user to see a detailed report of the audio, and then deconstruct the audio in order to enhance specific noise sources.

I have created the following example using Izotope RX.

Audio for speed detection- Speed cameras.

Kubera. E, Wieczorkowski. A, Kuranc. A, Słowik. T (2019) Discovering Speed Changes of Vehicles from Audio Data (Online)  Advance in Sensors and Sensing Systems for Driving and Transportation. Available at https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/19/14/3067. (Accessed 18 Nov 2020.)

I have found further research into devices and methodology utilising non-musical audio processing. This is a piece of research with the aim of using audio to detect car driving speed. Viewing the research shows that the research was successful in detecting an fairly accurate speed audio data recorded from the vehicle.  “The presented results show that even a simple feature vector, representing lines in a spectrogram, yields 90% accuracy, even though tracking these lines is difficult, and errors in these parameters are possible.” While the accuracy is high enough for the general research to be considered a success, using recorded audio to replace speed cameras in the modern world woulf be problematic and inpractical, as it is less accurate, leaving it far more open to legal disputes than speed cameras that have a lower margin of error, that are already often legally disputed for their accuracy. “Speed cameras are officially described as being calibrated to an accuracy of two per cent. However, in recent years some well-publicised court cases have hinged upon alleged inaccuracies in the speed camera evidence.” (nationalprobationservice, 2015)

Although this research at this time is not accurate enough to be used practically, one can question how this research can be expanded on to for the purpose of a practical need. In future, audio speed detectors could be used to detect speed in low visibility conditions.

Exploring these non-musical/creatives avenues has been especially useful for my practice as an audio programmer because they have shown the potential that audio signal processing can have in society, as well as show the benefits of approaching audio programming with an objective mindset. All of the devices I have found have been created for a practical use, and it is interesting to see where societal needs have been filled by audio programming and how this research can be taken further.  To become a practitioner in creating audio devices for practical solutions, an understanding of audio from an objective viewpoint is fundamental. Approaching audio in this way is essential to my practice as programming is rooted in having a logical and objective discipline. Even if one is programming a tool for the purpose of creativity, as an audio programmer, one needs to understand exactly what is happening in the program.

References

Audio Forensics Expert. (n.d.). Retrieved 12 2020, from https://www.audioforensicexpert.com/what-is-audio-forensics/

Maher, R. C. (2016). Lending an Ear in the Courtroom: Forensic Acoustics. Retrieved 12 2020, from Acoustics Today: https://acousticstoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Lending-an-Ear-in-the-Courtroom-Forensic-Acoustics-Forensic-acoustics-deals-with-acquisition-analysis-and-evaluation-of-audio-recordings-to-be-used-as-evidence-in-an-official-legal-inquiry..pdf

nationalprobationservice. (2015). nationalprobationservice. Retrieved 11 2020, from nationalprobationservice/speedcameras: https://www.nationalprobationservice.co.uk/speedcameras.html

The New York Times. (1974, 1). ext of Advisory Panel's Report to Judge Sirica on Tape Recording. Retrieved 12 2020, from The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/1974/01/16/archives/text-of-advisory-panels-report-to-judge-sirica-on-tape-recording.html

[jasmine5312353]

Week 9: Digital Iteration & 3D printing

This week was spent learning another digital modelling program, 3ds max studio. After only just getting used to all the tools in fusion, knowing I would have to work on a completely different program with different navigation functions and tools, was a little daunting. Although, knowing that I had faced similar fears and reluctancy towards other tasks in previous weeks and having learnt that its just best to get started as soon as possible, taking it step by step, I knew I had to immerse myself straight away. Once navigation was figured out, I was able to realise how super useful and fun the application was.

Andrew Simpson video— cup (pre class): Unlike Andrew who had a really clear design idea from the start, I found myself not set on ideas and relied on the sketch modelling phase to cement/figure out what my final product vision would be. Due to limitations both financially and in terms of exposure to a variety of materials, creating higher/presentation standard prototypes wasn’t greatly explored in our Olay models compared to his cup which was able to be mocked up in a variety of materials, to a high degree of functionality and ergonomics (eg. weight of cup). Despite these differences, there were many similarities that generally outweighed the differences when it came to the sketch models. His statement about how sketch models allow a designer to more freely make small changes was definitely true to the process undertaken making physical and digital models of our olay bottles. Specifically when making the foam model, I first started to produce a slightly chamfered edge around the front diamond shape and later continued to work away at it to see how it would effect the overall shape and look. As for the digital models, the opportunity to slightly alter models was even greater as the model could be modified and then simply turned off or adjusted.  

Getting familiar with 3ds program capabilities (set up & sphere modification): As soon as I opened the 3ds application, I was immediately intimated by all the windows and icons that covered the screen. The videos provided by 3ds and Rob’s tutorial were a great introduction to the new program and almost instantly eased my worries as they both started by simplifying the toolbar (probably the most terrifying part of it) and explaining some of the tools. After setting the units to mm, simplifying the toolbar to only the essentials and orienting the views orthographically (a setup we’re now really used to) I felt slightly more confident and eager to start exploring the modification tools. Creating a sphere and experimenting with different modifiers was a great way to get used to the different tools and ways a form could be manipulated. I particularly loved the ‘FFD’ and ‘edit poly’ tools as they were able to completely manipulate the form of the sphere to something unrecognisable & unique in a matter of seconds.

Modifying my Olay bottle: I liked my original fusion model so when it came to modifying my bottle, I didn’t want to do anything too drastic and different from the original design. In 3ds, I found that the modification features were quite limited for my bottle as I soon learnt that it was due to the mesh (which could be fixed although didn’t find out until after sending to 3D printer- small uniform polygons ideal). Hence, I decided to opt for symmetry & bend tool and simply make the front face chamfered edges slightly steeper to create more depth and place emphasis on the bottles defining diamond & geometrical form.

Cura & 3D printing: When it came to transferring my file to Cura, the process was extremely easy and fast. It was only when I was in Cura that I came across a couple of issues. The first issue I came across was when trying to disable the ‘extruder 1′ as whenever I tried to disable, it was no longer able to slice my design and create the final print file that I had to send off to DFL. Luckily, I was able to solve this issue by force quitting, restarting the app and importing in my .3mf file again. From here, I struggled to implement the ‘normal settings-fast’ as for some reason I couldn’t  figure out how to import it. After chatting with some classmates, I realised I could change nozzle/flow rate of PLA from 0.1 (took 12hrs!) to 0.2 which drastically reduced print time to about 4 & 1/2 hrs. I then submitted it to DFL for printing and was super pleased to see it all printed when I picked it up.

Overall, I really enjoyed the activity this week and the way it allowed me to turn a recognisable shape into something completely unique & crazy with ease. This task has helped me realise not to be so restrained by common geometric shapes and to push beyond these forms and create my own funky asymmetrical designs. Something that I noticed was a major advantage of 3ds compared to fusion was the ability to change both extremely minor/small details as well as large or the entire form. Having the 4 views as separate windows distributed on the screen also made it really easy to work on my model compared to fusion where you have to continually use the view cube or orbit tool to see the design from another angle. Also the large variety of modification tools that made changes almost instantaneously, was definitely a great bonus and something I will for sure take advantage of in future digital models. Whilst fusion is great for mocking up quick sketches and solid forms, it is in 3ds that designs are able to be altered down to the small details to achieve the most accurate and professional finish possible. Being able to actually print out and see a model that was likened to my overall vision of the product was extremely rewarding and a technique I will definitely by utilising for future models.

[refreshmint1]

The right way to do Financial Planning in 2 minutes

How does financial planning happen today?

The typical process of financial planning involves the following steps.

Identifying your risk type and thus the ability to take Risk

What are your long term goals usually more than five years into future

Basis the above you get a plan asking you to invest in various products at various times

But it doesn’t work!!

While there are tons and tons of tools and financial advisors, none of it usually works cause of the fact that our risks keep changing. Our goals are not steady or fixed, and finally, new products keep coming up.

Let’s look at Risk first:  

Suppose two people have seen the 2008 crisis. One of them lost his job and took a massive hit on his investments. The other girl was able to retain her job and then invest also at those rock bottom prices.

Fast Forward now: Both of them are working and doing well, have similar salaries and similar lifestyles. All tools will tell you that their risk-taking ability is of the same type. However, that 2008 event changed everything which no advisor or a tool can detect.

Next lets at goals:

Long-term goals are hard to implement because they are a collection of short term goals. These have to be managed, marketed, and used as information to gauge whether a long-goal reward still exists.

What this implies that long term goals look great on spreadsheets, but what matters is managing the short term goals consistently to make the long term goals happen.

Long term thinking will say keep investing for ten years without telling that in between you would be asked to invest even when your portfolio is down 50%.

As you can see its almost impossible to have a stable financial plan when all the components underlying the idea keep moving

Financial Plans are inherently unstable

The emergence of Financial Pornography!!

Coined by Nick Maggiulli, it tells that how financial apps and advisors use beautiful looking charts, engaging tools, quizzes to portray a future that seems highly achievable. Unfortunately, they usually have no resemblance to reality. Like in our post on goals we looked that the same

Looking at these tools and charts will make you think you are doing well only to release that goal don’t move that linearly and bad things happen

The Financial Turing test

We borrow this concept from the Blog https://ofdollarsanddata.com/the-financial-turing-test/

Imagine you meet someone new or use an app that claims to be a “financial expert.”

If you could only ask them one question to determine if they are legit, what would you ask? We call this the Financial Turing Test.

The original  Turing Test was a thought experiment designed to determine whether artificial intelligence (AI) had been invented. The idea was simple. You sit down at a computer terminal where you message back and forth with some “entity” (either a human or a computer program, but you don’t know which).

Assuming you can ask any questions you want, could you determine whether the entity you were chatting with was a human or a computer more than 50% of the time? If you can tell the difference, then AI doesn’t exist. Otherwise, the Turing Test has been passed, and AI exists.

Instead of identifying whether an entity is a computer or a human, the Financial Turing Test differentiates financial sages from financial charlatans.

So what is the Turning test question for alls such tools and advisors?

Ask if the tool/advisor helps you answer this question.

How do you get rich without getting lucky?

If they tell you to invest in goals or ask you to save here you know well they are failing the test. Cause they are implicitly telling you that the three components of financial planning Risk, Goals, and Product all have no luck involved. That is so far away from the truth

The 2-minute Financial Planning checklist

So yes we have criticized everything till this point. How do we then address this?

We do it in a straight forward manner.  

All your financial decisions have to do two things

1) Ensure that you remain anti-fragile

We leverage the concept of Anti- Fragile by Nasim Taleb

Key Point of Prof. Taleb’s concept.

What that means that If bad things happen, you are ready to benefit rather than getting destroyed. While the probability of this low if it happens, it will ruin all wealth creation. A lot to times when things are doing good, you would think there is no risk, but Risk is always there. Pablo Escobar expected 10% of the cash he stored in warehouses to be eaten by rats or spoiled by mold. That was if everything went well.

Some downsides are unavoidable. You can push back, but they’ll never die. They’re part of life, and you might as well learn to accept them than pretend perfection exists.

What matters is how you plan for them!!

2) Allow compounding to work

To do this decouple all your investment from goals. The only goal which you have is creating wealth. And the simplest way to build wealth is that let money create money whenever you take out cash or break this pattern you're set your self back.

With these two as foundations below is the 2-minute financial planning tool. Answer these questions every quarter to be on track

If I or someone in my family gets hospitalized for 15 days, do I have to break my investments or savings? Do I have enough savings if my parents to get hospitalized to take care of them? If I am not able to work or lose my job, can I manage my expense for next three months OR will I have to break my investments/ savings? In case of n urgent requirement of funds ( Wedding, Brothers College Fees etc) can I borrow money at low costs If I die, can my family survive for the next ten years? Is there a goal/ desire in the next three months, which will lead to me breaking my investments? Am I able to save 30% of my salary each month Do I think that my finances will beat real inflation comfortably?

That s it!! Any time you hit a NO against any of these questions, you know you need to do something. Whatever financial instruments you are using need to be adjusted or calibrated.

For more information check out: refreshmint.in

[codeeu]

16 EU Code Week activities to inspire your next lesson in coding

by  Dorina Marin, EU Code Week Leading Teacher from Romania 

My involvement in the EU Code Week campaign was a real challenge. I started by carrying out different small-circle activities with pupils, students and teachers, in the classroom. These eventually turned into workshops in high schools and universities or in regular meetings with teachers to exchange experiences. Every meeting was received with great enthusiasm by the participants due to the ingenuity and novelty of the activities and due to the way in which these activities can be implemented and adapted to suit students of all grades. Considering their impact on the participants, I want to share with the community some of the activities that were received with a lot of enthusiasm and fun.

Unplugged activities:

#1: Robot and programmer

The first coding game can be played in teams of two students. One of the students should be blindfolded and his movements coordinated by another student who is giving instructions and directions to the first student. The game, originally called „Cody & Roby” has many variations and can be played in different ways.

Here you can find a DIY starter kit.

#2: Find the way home!

The second game is a competition called „Find the way home!” The students should be divided in teams. Each team draws orientation arrows between two points and has to find the shortest way between the two points.

#3: Sotron

Sotron, also called Hopscotch is a popular playground game, in which pupils toss a small object in a pattern of squares, drawn on the ground and jump from one square to another. They must choose a route and perform certain fun or difficult tasks to reach the final destination.

#4: Find the treasure

In this game students are supposed to find a hidden treasure with the help of only one clue - indicator arrows.

#5: The animal and its chick

Here students are tasked with finding the shortest way between two objects or animals. To do so they draw arrows that link one to the other.

#6: Find the coloured circle!

This activity helps children develop their computational thinking. Here students have to find the correct coloured circle after performing a simple arithmetic operation.

#7: Let's learn with Roby!

This activity lets students program the path of a robot to find a letter of their choosing on an alphabet playboard.

#8: My computer name

This fun activity teaches students how to write their name in the binary alphabet.

#9: Learn letters with micro:bit

Micro:bit is a pocket-sized computer, designed to encourage pupils to take their first steps in coding. This activity teaches students how to use the device and draw letters with it.

This tutorial shows how to set up the device.

#10: Journey to Europe

Here students learn how to write the names of famous European cities with the help of micro: bits.

#11: The life of a bird

With micro:bits students can also keep track of objects or pets by using two programs – a receiver and a transmitter, through which they can observe the actions of, in this case, a bird.

#12: Decipher the QR code!

To play this game, students should use a QR scanner, which will lead them to a set of questions. If they answer the questions correctly, they win the game.

#13: Augmented Reality in the classroom

Augmented reality enhances the learning process and enables students to learn scientific notions in a fun and interactive way with the help of 3D online applications.

Here is a list of AR tools for the classroom.

Online activities:

#14: Champion

The website code.org provides a series of activities for students of any grade, called Hour of Code. After playing a game and learning more about coding, students can obtain a certificate for their success.

The activities can be found here and on this page you can print personalised certificates.

#15: Water circuit

Scratch is a platform with different games and activities to introduce children to the basics of coding. This game is a simulator, through which children should reconstruct a water circuit by moving around all the parts of the circuit.

Similar projects can be found here.

#16: European capitals

With the help of this game students learn the names of European capitals using a Scratch application.

The platform offers all kinds of  geography games, which can be found here.

If only some of the activities suggested by me can become sources of inspiration for other colleagues to start teaching programming in the classroom or at home, then my mission has been fulfilled.

[yuqi-y-blog]

Assessing Tea Quality with Electronic Nose and Electronic Tongue

Are you a tea drinker? If so, do you have your favorite leaf, or prefer some types of tea to others? There are many teas, from the high-end ones packed in delicate gift boxes to those sold in bulk at their origins, which may be unfamiliar for tea drinkers in the more developed regions. But is that the more expensive, the better? Who decides the grades of teas, and how do they judge the quality?

The Traditional Method

Traditionally, “tea masters” assign the grade by tea-tasting, but this method is realized to be increasingly unreliable. Masters are still human, just with more expertise and experience, and human is inevitably subjective. Different masters may give different results; even the same person may give a different result on a different day depending on their physical or mental state. Leaving alone the subjectivity, human testing is also not efficient enough. With millions of, if not more, different types of teas sold through various channels in the market today, it is impractical for each of them to be examined by experts.

A New Approach

Is there a more accurate and more efficient way to grade the teas? The answer is “yes,” by artificial intelligence. Zhi et al. have presented a framework for Electronic Nose (E-Nose) and Electronic Tongue (E-Tongue) to assess tea quality (2017).

E-Nose and E-Tongue are not hard to understand literally, but exactly how do they function, and how is the information integrated to grade a tea?

Despite the huge difference in their appearances, E-Nose and E-Tongue collect information under a similar logic as human’s organs. They comprise of an array of sensors that detect the chemicals in the test samples and generate diverse signatures. The difference comes about in the perception of those signatures. Human’s interpretation turns out to be rather rough: bitter, sweet, fragrant, etc., since the signals are forced to go through multiple built-in filters in our brains, while E-Nose and E-Tongue provide raw signals, which are quantified and ready for more scientific analysis.

Feature Extraction and Dimension Reduction

Raw signals are hard to work with directly. In Zhi’s experiment, the E-Nose has 18 sensors and the E-Tongue has 7, so there are 25 distinct signal curves, with each curve consisting of 241 data points collected in 120 seconds for each test sample. It is impossible to tell anything by just looking at 25*241 plain numbers, so feature extraction is essential.

Zhi et al. extract the features in two different domains: time and frequency. The time-domain features are easy to acquire and easy to understand. The maximum value and the average value are calculated among the 241 points for each sensor. The frequency-domain features, on the other hand, is less straight forward. In brief, you can imagine the discrete points are connected to form a curve that bounces up and down, and the frequency-domain features describe how vividly the curve bounces. The importance to include the frequency domain is illustrated in the graph below. As we can see, data sets A and B have the same maximum and average value, yet their dynamic “energy” is different. It is probably not a good idea to conclude that these two signals are the same as if we are only looking at the time-domain features.

Now, we have successfully reduced the data size to 25*4 for each sample, but what’s next? Although decreased in size, the data is still numbers. How can we assign different grades to the teas according to those sets of numbers?

Let the machine learn!

Of course, we can manually observe the data and try to summarize some kind of regularities, but that would be tedious and thus running counter to our objective of improving efficiency. Luckily, we have assistants who are good at dealing with data of large sizes and doing repetitive jobs: computers.

Just like tea masters taste a lot of teas to form their experience, computers need to first form their knowledge bases and then apply the knowledge to solve the problem. In machine learning, the process of forming knowledge bases is called training. There’s one thing that is easy to get wrong: computers never learn on their own. It is human who programs the algorithms, and all computers do is executing the algorithms that take in the data and turn it into a knowledge base.

In the case of tea testing, the computer is trained with a number of samples given their grades so that it can get a sense of which characteristics correspond to which grades. Well, to “get a sense” is the human way; the computer way is to match the data points with the grades and construct reference maps for applications. For the matching, Zhi et al. adopt Kernel Linear Discriminant Analysis (KLDA). The purpose of this high-level mathematical trick is to maximize between-class separation and minimize in-class variance. In other words, we want the teas to be as similar to each other as possible if they belong to the same grade, and elsewise as different from each other as possible. We can’t manipulate the data, but what we can do is weighting it to highlight particular data. KLDA is a nonlinear transformation that maps the original data points to a more classified distribution. With this optimized matching, which is impossible without machine learning due to the huge amount of computation, the accuracy of grading is significantly improved.

Assign a grade to an unknown tea

After training, the computer is ready to assess the quality of unknown teas. Given a new tea sample, we let the E-Nose smell it and let the E-Tongue taste it, obtain the raw signals, extract the features, and transform the data through the same KLDA filter used in training. Then we get a new data point to be compared to the ones in the computer’s knowledge base, namely the reference map constructed with the training set. How can we make the comparison, or, to be precise, which algorithm do we tell the computer to execute to make the comparison?

Zhi et al. use the K-nearest neighbor (KNN) classifier, which is, unlike the previous algorithms, one of the simplest among the classification algorithms. It assigns a class to the unclassified point by looking at a number (k) of its nearest neighbors and taking the majority vote from them.

There is only one problem left. I have been counting the data for the E-Nose and E-Tongue together so far in order to demonstrate the size of data, yet in fact, they are quite different data since one describes the smell and one describes the taste, and so cannot be calculated as one. Hence at this point, we actually have two separate results from the E-Nose and the E-Tongue. The problem is how to combine the two results to give a final assignment.

Here comes the last mathematical tool in the assessment: D-S evidence, which is perfect for solving this problem. It generates one probability function by combining two bodies of evidence, which, in our case, are the E-Nose and the E-Tongue. The method is rather simple: taking the product of the probabilities suggested by the two bodies of evidence and calculating the proportion of each shared outcome. For instance, consider the following case:

Since D-S evidence only accounts for shared outcomes, the probabilities of the sample being grade 1 and grade 4 are omitted. The probability of grade 2 is 80%*90%=72%, and that of grade 3 is 10%*5%=0.5%. So the final probability of grade 2 is 72%/(72%+0.5%)=99.31%, a quite determinate probability for the computer to conclude that the sample belongs to grade 2. Noticeably, there’s one big assumption made by D-S evidence: the conflict between the two bodies of evidence is small. Consider this case:

Because there are no shared outcomes, the result would be completely inconclusive. Fortunately, big conflicts are not expected to happen since a tea sample naturally should not show such huge different characteristics in smell and taste, and that is why D-S evidence is suitable for this scenario.

Conclusion and outlook for artificial intelligence

Compared to tea masters, E-Nose and E-Tongue guarantee to be fully objective and statistically more accurate with the implementation of KDLA. Moreover, both time efficiency and cost efficiency can be largely improved. E-Nose and E-Tongue can work non-stop with each sample only taking 120 seconds, and the computer can then process the data 1,000 times faster than a human does. The main cost would be the fixed cost, including setting up the machines and training the model. Once the setup is done, the operation cost is expected to be fairly low. Therefore, tea quality assessment with E-Nose and E-Tongue can definitely be promoted to the market for practical use.

As we go through the full process, I also hope you get a better sense of how AI works. To many people’s disappointment, AIs are not like creatures and never generate ideas on their own. The fundamental of all AIs is humble mathematics and computer science, very unromantically. Yet isn’t that exciting, that human is able to do things unimaginable decades ago today with the power of computers, which is neither magic nor miracle, but still the product of our own intelligence?

More on KLDA: https://youtu.be/mICWQEUpgEQ

Reference:  Zhi, Ruicong, Lei Zhao, and Dezheng Zhang. "A Framework for the Multi-Level Fusion of Electronic Nose and Electronic Tongue for Tea Quality Assessment." Sensors, vol. 17, no. 5, 2017, pp. 1007. doi: http://dx.doi.org.libproxy2.usc.edu/10.3390/s17051007.

[sunfold]

exercise 6 - robotic toolpaths

Work done in collaboration with Annette Chu ‘20 and Halima Matthews ‘21.

location - Princeton University Embodied Computation Lab (ECL)

program - Grasshopper Definition through Rhino

tools - ABB 120 6-axis robotic arm with 6 bulb multicolor LED end-tool; DSLR camera - Wide Angle and Telephoto Lenses

This week’s exercise involved using a robotic arm to trace the path of a line in real space. A camera with extended exposure time was used to document the moving path of the LED light robotic end tool as one complete image. This medium of documentation was interesting in that it allowed for spatio-temporal compression, or a reconfiguration of the exercise-as-process into one as-object. The first two images of the set explore this duality. Post-production work enables the reading of the trace as an abstracted object in fig. 1, as opposed to fig.2, in which tool and workshop are legible as actors in-process. In this way, the photo itself exists is a layer of trace or index beyond the production of the line trace. 

A main focus of all three studies was to explore depth through directional manipulation of points on the trace line. This method utilized the primacy of one view (top, front, left, etc.) in relation to the set camera point to preserve the “original” reading of the path. The study curve of a an abstract face (fig. 4 - 6) reads as programmatically defined in the straight-on photo (fig. 1, 2). In fig. 3, an intervention at the point of documentation was made. Throughout the duration of the trace path at the given camera shutter speed (~30 seconds) the zoom was manually adjusted on the lens. Instances or points of the robot’s traced path were documented in relation to the zoom operation, or location of the camera lens in space (moving along a linear axis perpendicular to the aforementioned primary view, rather than in relation to the set plane of a non-moving photo frame). The result is an image in which hyper-distortion of space reveals the hidden relationships of points along the trace, or the three-dimensional actualities of the curves between points that is obscured in the normal view of fig. 1. 

This exercise further highlights the autonomy of documentation media as tools or moments of intentionality and intervention in the design process (not just as objective records, speaking to Allen’s points in “Plotting Traces on Process”). Secondly, and more relevant in a building systems context, the image set of fig. 1 - 3 allows for a structural reading of the trace.  “In Deplazes’ discussion on space frames, he notes that they ‘consist of delicate linear members’ (Deplazes, 136). In discussing ‘diamonds and diagonals’ Deplazes notes that ‘horizontal loads can be accommodated with a single structure of linear members seemingly without any hierarchy, but equally because the network takes on an ornamental quality’ (Deplazes, 137). These linear members are not dissimilar to the movements of the robot arm, which follow the paths of the curves. The arm moves through each point of the line in a certain order, so each movement contributes in a very specific way to the final produced form. This aligns with the lack of hierarchy that Deplazes mentions.  In fig. 1, moments of strong light begin read as junctures at which forces would be concentrated if this line were to exist as a space frame. However, fig. 2 upends understanding of which moments exist as actual joints of the line occupying the same point in space at two moments, and which just appear to do so from the primary perspective. This further complicates ideas of hierarchy and calls into question the true extent of structural need for geometrically repetitive forms in space frames, comparing for example the highly regular rhombi of Herzog and de Mueron’s Prada store in Tokyo, versus the more organically linear members of the columns in Toyo Ito’s Mediathek in Sendai. 

The study curve in fig. 7 is less of a precise form but still depicts depth through the use of two colors. The yellow LED light slightly offsets the red, making it appear as a three-dimensional form. The study curve in fig. 8 was supposed to take the shape of a house but the low number of points on the grasshopper definition distorts the image. The LED light image might not show the depth as well, but by looking at the Rhino screenshots you can see the various forms that come out of pulling a few points in different directions.”

(notes adapted from Matthews ‘21 writings on exercise 6)

Source for Discussion: 

Stan Allen. “Chapter 3, Plotting traces on process” in P​ractice: Architecture, Technique and Representation.​ ​L​ondon: Routledge, 2003. 47–70. 

Deplazes, Andrea. Construction Architecture: Materials, Processes, Structures: A Handbook (4th Edition). Berlin: Birkhauser, 2005.

[lis-allwounds]

New Year 2019 updates

Quick reminder that while All Wounds is on hiatus, it’s not dead! I put a lot of work into re-tooling the initial demo last spring because I knew the final product was going to be a WAYS off. I ended up feeling so emotionally exhausted from the story and so inspired by my new project, @arcadian-rhythms​ (which also does feature LiS characters, specifically Max, Chloe, and Rachel) that after months and hours and hours of coding/formatting the visual novel this spring/summer, I decided to take a break from All Wounds. My new goal is to have it done by the time Life is Strange 2 is complete. The base coding is actually finished -- you could theoretically read the entire story in visual novel form through to the end. This in and of itself has taken dozens of hours, believe it or not. The next big step is to start properly implementing choice-based elements into the story, which I have done some of for earlier segments like chapters 3-5. (ex. Max and Chloe arriving at Max’s home with her parents involves a number of different variations based on how the reader chooses for Max to ‘come out’ to her folks). And while there ARE plenty of musical options to cover BGM needs and I could probably come up with backgrounds on my own for most of the project...the matter of character sprites is a still a big lacking component. At this point, the majority of required sprites, mainly from the post time-skip section, which would entail a LOT of work from a singular artist (much less my original vision of commissioning different artists for each alternate reality, especially the Other timeline), and I’m in no position to be able to afford that kind of artwork. Not when I am still unemployed and my fiancee and I are STILL struggling to figure out how to live together across country lines. I did end up taking some donations received last year or earlier and put them toward specific pieces of art and sprites for the chapters leading up to the story’s time-skip (which I can probably still get away with), and a few folks have been supporting us on Patreon, which doesn’t look like much BUT has immensely helped us in our current state. We even have been doing some Let’s Play vids here and there, including Life is Strange 2, which we plan to continue covering (living together would turn this from a bit of an inconvenience to something we could do basically whenever) Jenny and I do both want to work on All Wounds together, but...when we’re struggling just to get by, separately, we’ve had to put other things ahead of it, on top of the emotional stress recent developments in the Life is Strange brand have given us. So until Jenny and I can afford the time to work on it, All Wounds can’t physically get completed for some time yet. When we’re in a more stable financial position, I can more reasonably set time aside to continue work on the visual novel. I have not given up on it, just please understand that I am...one person. And the majority of this project (which is massive in terms of the medium) has been handled by just that one person. Inbetween a dayjob, then inbetween trying to find a NEW dayjob, and other projects, etc. If you’d like to support us so we can build our desired future together, you can donate to our fundraiser to pay for visa application fees - or you can share it around!

tl;dr The visual novel is still alive, but currently sleeping, until life situations open up the opportunity to finish it.

In the meantime, please stay tuned for the debut of Season 1 of Arcadian Rhythms, a 100,000+ word chunk of fiction I’ve been working on over the past year, set to start rolling out in weekly episodes in early 2019. You can read the pilot here if you wish and follow that project at @arcadian-rhythms​ as well as try out a mini visual novel sample I created set within its universe. I also want to take a moment to specifically promote a finished, free to play visual novel by @brianna-lei​ that fans of this project will probably find a lot to love about!

BUTTERFLY SOUP

From the creator’s page: A visual novel about gay asian girls playing baseball and falling in love. Features: -harold they're lesbians* -3-4 hours long -memes *except not really, one of them is bi

The primary romance shares a lot in common with Max and Chloe’s relationship dynamic (only without like 95% of the traumatic events!) and all four of the protagonists are just wonderful. I STRONGLY recommend you check it out, it’s built using the same program as All Wounds and is a very uplifting, funny, charming story. So! Happy new year! Sorry for the wait on things. It may not look like it, but I’ve spent even more time in 2018 working on writing/programming than any year prior, it’s just been stuff that isn’t finished or ready for the public. Thanks a lot for everyone’s support, I hope you all have a good start to 2019.

[arielpremo48473-blog]

10 Freeware To Rip CDs To FLAC Lossless And MP3 Lossy HD Audio Format

A utility to convert a Flac library to MP3, Opus or Ogg Vorbis format. To convert media information tomp3 format merely select the destination folder and drop your information or folders to the app's icon or interface. Converter advises when processing is made and if there are any failures. Convert utility is crash free". I wish to select Faasoft Audio Converter which is more cheaper and easier to use. To FLAC Converter helps full tags transfer from supply files to output FLAC files. You also can get pleasure from better-organised music because of loading lacking FLAC tags from on-line databases or native folders and file names. Within the MP3 dialog field, select the format settings for the final MP3 recordsdata. Freemore FLAC to MP3 Converter is an easy, environment friendly, quick yet free FLAC to MP3 Converter program, totally optimized for the mainstream multi-core CPUs. With its build-in newest & advanced FLAC codec and Lame MP3 encoder, the sound quality of the encoded MP3 files is well maintained and superior to its counterparts. FLAC to MP3 Converter supports batch mode converting and it is extremely easy to operate. SDR Free FLAC to MP3 Converter is a free software to transform FLAC format to MP3 format easily. To convert a FLAC file to MP3 utilizing To MP3 Converter Free, just choose your vacation spot folder and drag the information over. If it's good to batch convert folders or recordsdata, then you should buy an annual subscription ($7) that also allows you to load tags and art work from a community source, add fade in and fadeout, and trim silence before and after songs. Consists of FLAC cutter with preview that may lower FLAC audio information with millisecond precision. Completely free and fully protected, 5KPlayer provides you the feasiblity to convert video audio MP4 AVI MP3 FLAC AAC freely, play 4K HD 1080p 720p AVCHD MP4 DVD and so forth easily and obtain videos films music from 300+ sites like YouTube, Facebook, Dailymotion, and many others. No third-social gathering helpers, you can get all you need. So, with out additional ado, this is how one can convert FLAC to MP3 without spending a dime on any platform. fre:ac is a free audio converter with various in style audio codecs and encoders, additionally it is a CD ripper for Mac OS, you not solely can load the FLAC audio files, also can import MP3, WMA, AAC, etc. On the identical time, you may rip your audio CDs to MP3 or WMA files. And it stays like this for all future use of the MP3 format, until one goes to Tools""Preferences""Reset preferences" which then returns all to defaults and it really works, however solely at the 128 bit fee. Different codecs like OGG Vorbis etc should not exhibiting this behaviour, and I do not bear in mind my earlier verson which was 2.0.5., doing this. Select "to FLAC" after which click on Convert to convert files to FLAC format. FLAC is a lossless audio format, which means it saves unique CD quality whenever you creating FLAC recordsdata immediately from an audio CD. In contrast to WAV format which can be lossless FLAC provides some compression similar to ZIP shrinking. It does not scale back the quality but makes FLAC files smaller than WAV's. They're much bigger than MP3s although, which make it bulky for using in MP3 players and different cellular units.

It's a guide on learn how to convert YouTube to MP3 for macOS Sierra, I'd offer you assessment on 3 free on-line YouTube to MP3 converter tools, and educate you the best way to download and convert YouTube to MP3 with the only steps. SOLELY a decent level?! As in comparison with what? Lossless means exactly that, no loss to high quality. FLAC presents the perfect (same) degree as the original content. I wouldn't belief to you to alter my screensaver settings. Spend even slightly time on audiophile forums, and you may see some intense preventing about whether VBR is CBR is healthier (or whether it even matters). To keep things simple, select CBR and set the bitrate to 320 kbps. This should give you nice sound high quality, though the file sizes won't be as small. Click on "Profile" drop-down button to set "MP3 MPEG Layer-3 Audio (.mp3)" from "Common Audio" as output format. You can use FLAC to MP3 Mac to transform your FLAC audio recordsdata to MP3 format on Mac OS. After dragging and dropping your FLAC songs onto the application and choosing the output path, you will notice this system begin the conversion immediately. Within a few seconds the songs shall be entirely transformed to MP3 format and located in the folder you choose. A free solution is Koyotesoft's Free Mp3 Wma Converter which supports the FLAC format among others. It does include adware affords although, so pay attention to these during installation. Prior to MP3 introduction, MPEG-1 had been widely used. That format contained not only audio knowledge, but photographs as nicely. MP3 breaks an audio file into components of the identical size. When the processing is over, every part is packed into its personal body. It includes the technology of spectral limit that requires a steady enter sign to supply using two adjacent frames. In this dialog you'll be able to alter additional settings of the format (the number of channels, bitrate, pattern price). You need to use predefined settings from the record or click on the Customise button and create your individual mixture of settings that might be saved for later use. A free codec developed for lossless compression of audio content material that does not exclude info from the stream. It permits for listening to musical compositions with skilled sound replica techniques, in addition to for observe archiving. FLAC information are being performed by portative audio gamers, equipped by the most of specialized programs, and are represented in enormous variety of hardware implementations. They allow users to repeat CD tracks with out deterioration in sound quality. The digital media increase has led to quite a few file codecs for audio and video content material of various quality and ubiquity , www.audio-transcoder.com whether or not you consume your media on desktop, smartphone, tablet or dedicated media player. Some, corresponding to MP3 and MP4, are ubiquitous, while extra esoteric codecs akin to OGG and FLAC offers technical advantages, but might be unsupported on some gadgets. Fortunately, conversion software involves the rescue, permitting you to input your media information, after which convert them into another format. Listed below are a few of our favourite free apps.

[mark09a42202806-blog]

How To Convert FLAC To MP3 Format On Mac And LAPTOP Quick, Easy

Assume you'll be able to inform the distinction between CD quality music and flac mp3 конвертер скачать бесплатно compressed MP3s? Utilizing fluke is actually convenient since you needn't convert files,nevertheless there are some drawbacks it's essential consider. This desktop software requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later which means newer versions of Mac OS are not supported including OS Lion 10.7. Additionally, you also have to have QuickTime 7 and Xiph QuickTime decoders installed. As compared, in order for you the one that dose not have any requirements of set up or registration, Apowersoft Free Online Audio Converter would be the most suitable choice. Whereas, If you value more stable efficiency and powerful capabilities, then Streaming Audio Recorder can satisfies you. It's truly quite simple once you notice that each one Spotify music are encoded with DRM, which is designed to prevent unauthorized copying of Spotify music. As soon as you already know you might be unable to straight save Spotify music to plain format with Spotify Shopper, all you must do is pick a Spotify Music to FLAC Converter that best suits your needs. Sidify Music Converter for Spotify is an excellent Spotify Music Converter (instead of Spotify Music Recorder), aiding you to download and convert Spotify music to FLAC lossless music while holding all ID3 tags and metadata. Our on-line free sound and music changing instruments converts your audio files to the AAC file format. Either add an audio or video file or enter a URL where the media file is positioned at and conversion to the FLAC audio file format will start conversion. Seekable: FLAC helps fast sample-correct searching for. Not only is this handy for playback, it makes FLAC files appropriate to be used in enhancing purposes. FLAC is a lossless audio file format. It is similar to MP3 format but the primary difference between these 2 formats is FLAC file compress the file dimension with out altering the standard of audio. It will probably compress an audio file as much as half of its unique dimension utilizing lossless compression algorithm. Chances are you'll drag and drop FLAC information onto this system then merely click on on the Start Converting button to start the conversion. The software program program is free and open-source, which is nice for managing a large, flac mp3 конвертер скачать бесплатно customized library with many alternative audio codecs. It is the quickest FLAC to MP3 Converter obtainable and completely optimized for the mainstream multi-core CPUs. If it is essential to tear a CD, this free device is right because it would probably convert your music to one of many above codecs. In a comparison of compressed audio codecs, FFmpeg's FLAC implementation was famous to have the fastest and only embedded decoder of any fashionable lossless audio format. The supported file codecs are MP3, OGG, WAV, WMA, flac mp3 конвертер скачать бесплатно, APE, MP4 and way more. Finally, hit the Convert icon at the decrease-proper nook to begin changing your music inflac format to MP3 on Mac machine. Flac is a lossless audio compression format as opposed to mp3 which gives lossy " compression. It provides prime quality audio, but it is not some of the generally supported audio format, not like the mp3 format. There are nonetheless many devices that just do not support flac recordsdata. If you have such a device, you will need to make use of a extra common format similar to mp3.

The software program handles just about each audio file out there, in addition to a plethora of video recordsdata, and it has customization options beyond something we have mentioned up to now. Xilisoft's offering additionally permits you to add new audio effects and specify output size, as an illustration, and convert both individual information and batches. Evidently,it takes audio conversion to a complete new degree. Step 2. Click the drop-down arrow beside Profile and select MP3-MPEG Layer-three Audio to confirm MP3 as the output format. Each ALAC and FLAC are lossless audio codecs and recordsdata will often have more or less the same size when converted from one format to the opposite. I use ffmpeg -i observe.m4a to transform between these two formats however I notice that the resulting ALAC recordsdata are a lot smaller than the unique ones. When utilizing a converter software like the MediaHuman Audio Converter, the scale of the ALACs will remain across the similar size as the FLACs so I assume I am lacking some flags here that are causing ffmpeg to downsample the signal. So the question arises: the best way to convert M4P to MP3? A extensively-circulated manner is to burn protected iTunes M4P files to an audio CD after which rip them again as MP3. Nevertheless, chances are you'll feel dumb since it is a bit difficult and never for novices. So here is an effective and consumer-friendly M4P audio to MP3 converter free which can convert M4P audio to MP3 effortlessly. Let's free obtain this free M4P to MP3 converter upfront and observe the instruction to transform MP4 audio to MP3. FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is an audio coding format for lossless compression of digital audio, and can also be the identify of the reference codec implementation. Digital audio compressed by FLAC's algorithm can sometimes be diminished to 50-60% of its original measurement and decompress to an an identical copy of the original audio information. This excellent FLAC Converter Mac version is totally appropriate with Mac OS X 10.4(Tiger), 10.5(Leopard), 10.6(Snow Leopard), 10.7(Lion), 10.eight(Mountain Lion), 10.9(OS X Mavericks) and 10.10(Yosemite). The one issue here is that whereas this system is absolutely good at changing to MP3, it…doesn't really do anything else. There's not much extra audio management right here, however if you solely wish to deal with one conversion mission, it's nonetheless an ideal selection. Should you solely have several FLAC songs that must be converted to MP3, online FALC to MP3 converting tool can be a sensible choice for you. Here we sincerely recommend a simple-to-use on-line FALC to MP3 converter for you. You possibly can comply with the steps beneath to make the audio conversion from FALC to MP3.

[effysoph]

How To Stay Compliant With Crypto Tax Regulations Using Software

Cryptocurrencies are increasingly popular investments for both individuals and businesses, but managing the ever-changing tax regulations can be a challenge. Crypto investors need to stay compliant with their taxes in order to avoid hefty penalties from regulators. Fortunately, software solutions make it easier than ever to manage crypto taxation. In this article, we'll explore how staying compliant with crypto tax regulations is possible using software tools.

Tax compliance has always been an integral part of investing – regardless of whether you're dealing with traditional stocks or cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. As cryptocurrency becomes more mainstream, governments around the world are enacting stricter laws and guidelines when it comes to taxing digital assets. Staying on top of these rules isn't only important for avoiding fines; understanding your obligations could even help maximize your profits!

Software solutions offer a convenient way to understand and comply with all applicable laws while taking advantage of deductions that may otherwise go unnoticed. We'll discuss some of the most helpful options available so you can choose the best one for your needs. Keep reading to learn how you can stay ahead of crypto tax regulations without breaking a sweat for cryptocurrency investments !

Overview Of Crypto Tax Laws

Cryptocurrency tax regulations can be complex, but understanding the basics is essential for staying compliant. Generally speaking, cryptocurrency transactions are taxable events subject to capital gains taxes. When it comes to taxation of cryptocurrencies, individuals and businesses must report any profits or losses that occur when they sell, trade, or spend their digital currency. Additionally, some countries require citizens to pay taxes on income derived from mining activities as well.

As with other forms of investment, there may also be additional requirements depending on where one resides and how much money was made from trading crypto. For example, in certain jurisdictions like the United States and Japan, taxpayers must file special disclosures if their earnings exceed a certain threshold. Similarly, many nations have implemented specific rules about reporting virtual asset holdings for anti-money laundering purposes.

The best way to stay abreast of changing regulatory guidelines is by using specialized software programs designed specifically for tracking cryptocurrency activity and generating accurate reports for filing taxes. These tools often provide real-time data on exchange rates and allow users to quickly generate detailed records of all trades performed during a given year. By utilizing such technology, investors can ensure compliance without needing to learn complex legal jargon associated with international financial laws.

Types Of Cryptocurrency Taxes

Cryptocurrency taxes are complex and ever-evolving. Understanding the different types of taxes associated with cryptocurrency trading is key to staying compliant with regulations. There are three main categories: capital gains tax, income tax, and Value Added Tax (VAT).

Capital gains tax applies when an individual or business sells a digital asset for more than its original purchase price. The amount of capital gains tax due depends on how long the asset was held before it was sold; assets held for less than one year will be taxed at ordinary income rate while those held longer may qualify for lower rates. Income tax is imposed on any earnings derived from cryptocurrency activities such as mining or staking rewards. These funds must be reported in order to avoid penalties from noncompliance. Finally, VAT is applicable when purchasing goods or services using cryptocurrencies; this varies by country and must be taken into account when making purchases.

Compliance can become overwhelming but there are software solutions available that make tracking transactions easier. By automating the process of calculating taxes owed, users can rest assured they are paying what's due without worrying about potential fines down the road.

Understanding Tax Loss Harvesting

In order to stay compliant with crypto tax regulations, it's important to understand the concept of tax loss harvesting. Tax loss harvesting is a strategy that involves selling investments at a loss in order to offset any gains made from capital gains taxes. This allows investors to reduce their taxable income and potentially save money on taxes.

Tax loss harvesting can be done manually by keeping track of each individual investment and its performance over time, or it can be automated through specialized software. Automating this process takes away much of the tedious paperwork involved with manual tracking and makes sure all losses are identified quickly so they can be utilized for maximum tax benefit. The most popular type of software used for this purpose is called a portfolio tracker which helps users keep tabs on their holdings and profits/losses throughout the year.

Software like portfolio trackers make tax loss harvesting easier than ever before, allowing investors to identify potential opportunities with greater accuracy and speed. It also simplifies the task of filing tax returns because users don't need to manually enter every transaction; instead, the data is pulled directly from their account activity into the program itself. Ultimately, using software is an effective way for cryptocurrency holders to remain compliant while taking advantage of available tax benefits.

Keeping Accurate Records

Keeping accurate records is essential for staying compliant with crypto tax regulations. All of your financial activities related to cryptocurrency must be carefully tracked and documented. This includes all transactions, such as purchases, sales, gifts, exchanges, donations, mining rewards and more. For each transaction you make, you should have a written record that includes the date of the transaction, the type of asset being traded (e.g., Bitcoin or Ethereum), information about who was involved in the transaction (including their wallet address if applicable), and how much was exchanged at what price. You should also save any receipts or invoices associated with these transactions so that you can prove ownership if ever necessary. Additionally, it's important to keep track of any fees or commissions incurred during trades to ensure they're accounted for when calculating taxes on gains or losses from trading activity.

Properly tracking every aspect of your crypto-related finances isn't easy without help—that’s why many people turn to specialized software designed specifically for this purpose. These programs automate data entry processes by importing data directly from wallets and exchanges into organized spreadsheets or databases so you don't have to manually input everything yourself. They also allow you to easily generate detailed reports showing capital gains/losses over time which will come in handy come tax season. By using an automated system like this, you'll have peace of mind knowing that all your financial records are up-to-date and in accordance with regulatory standards.

Using software for keeping accurate records ensures compliance with crypto tax regulations while saving time and reducing stress related to accounting tasks so you can focus on other aspects of growing your investment portfolio.

What Is Crypto Tax Software?

After understanding the importance of keeping accurate records, it's time to explore what crypto tax software is and how it can help you stay compliant with regulations. Crypto tax software is a specialized program that helps users efficiently calculate their crypto gains and losses for taxation purposes. It allows individuals to automatically import information from exchanges and other sources, enabling them to easily track all of their transactions in one place. This makes calculating taxes much simpler as data entry errors are minimized or completely avoided altogether.

Furthermore, this type of software also assists users by providing visual reports on how their investments have performed over time. These reports allow investors to quickly assess whether they need to make any necessary adjustments based on changes in the market value of their assets. Additionally, many programs offer features such as portfolio diversification insights and an automated calculation feature which will take into account all relevant deductions when filing taxes.

Crypto tax software offers convenience, accuracy, and efficiency - making it an invaluable tool for anyone looking to remain compliant with cryptocurrency tax regulations. Whether you're a beginner investor or an experienced trader, investing in reliable crypto tax software could be the best way forward when managing your digital currency taxable events.

Benefits Of Using Software To Manage Taxes

Using software to manage crypto tax regulations can be a major benefit for any cryptocurrency investor. It will help them stay on top of their taxes and ensure that they are compliant with the laws in their jurisdiction. Software also helps simplify the process, making it easier to understand and navigate.

Software automates many of the steps associated with filing taxes such as tracking transactions, calculating gains or losses, and creating reports. This eliminates much of the manual work involved in keeping up with tax requirements which can save time and effort. Furthermore, software provides an overall view of one’s finances so investors have a better understanding of where they stand at any given moment.

Overall, using software to manage crypto tax regulations is an efficient way to maintain compliance while saving both time and money. The automated features make it easy to keep track of all relevant data points without having to manually enter information each year. This makes it simpler for users to adhere to the necessary laws and regulations when filing their taxes.

Popular Crypto Tax Software Solutions

When it comes to staying compliant with crypto tax regulations, software can be an invaluable tool. There are a number of popular solutions available that provide users with the ability to accurately calculate and report their capital gains, as well as other information related to cryptocurrency transactions. Here's a look at some of the most recommended crypto tax software options:

CryptoTaxCalculator is one of the best-known programs for calculating and reporting your taxable income from cryptocurrency trading activities. This easy-to-use platform allows you to quickly generate reports on profits or losses incurred in any given year, while also providing detailed instructions as to how taxes should be paid based on your specific situation. In addition, CryptoTaxCalculator provides helpful advice regarding upcoming changes in taxation laws, so users stay up-to-date with current trends.

CoinTracker is another popular option when it comes to tracking cryptocurrencies for taxes. It helps simplify the process by automatically downloading data from exchanges and wallets such as Coinbase and Binance and then generating personalized reports for its users - all without having to manually enter any information themselves. Furthermore, CoinTracker integrates seamlessly with leading accounting systems like QuickBooks Online and Xero, making it simple for businesses to track their profits or losses across multiple exchanges.

Finally, Token Tax is a comprehensive solution designed specifically for those who invest heavily in digital currency assets. With its user friendly interface, Token Tax makes it easy to produce accurate reports which include capital gains/losses calculations along with estimated taxes owed per asset category - allowing investors get ahead of filing deadlines while minimizing potential legal issues down the line.

How To Choose The Right Solution For You

When it comes to choosing the right crypto tax software solution for your business, there are a few key factors to consider. First and foremost, you need to make sure that the product is compliant with all applicable regulations in your jurisdiction. You should also look for features such as automated calculations, audit trails and reporting capabilities. Additionally, you'll want to ensure that the platform can easily integrate with other existing systems you may have in place.

Another important factor when selecting a crypto tax software solution is cost. While some solutions may offer lower upfront costs than others, they could end up costing more over time due to additional fees or maintenance charges. Be sure to thoroughly review any contracts before signing them so that you know exactly what's included in the price tag.

Finally, customer service should be high on your list of priorities when looking for a crypto tax software solution. Make sure that the provider has knowledgeable professionals who can help answer any questions you might have about using their system, as well as provide timely support if an issue arises down the line.

Steps For Getting Started With Crypto Tax Software

Getting started with crypto tax software is quite simple. It's important to be aware of the different regulations for your jurisdiction and how they apply to you. The first step is to find a reputable service that specializes in these types of taxes, such as CryptoTaxCalculator or TaxBit. These services will provide you with an easy-to-use platform where you can input all pertinent information related to your transactions. After signing up, most providers will offer tutorials on how to begin filing taxes properly.

Once registered, it’s time to start logging all of your cryptocurrency transactions. You'll want to keep track of every purchase and sale made during any given year - including those carried out through exchanges or wallet transfers. All this data should then be entered into the system provided by the chosen provider. This allows them to accurately calculate your taxable income based on what has been reported throughout the year.

Next, check if there are any additional deductions available and make sure all relevant forms have been filled out correctly before submitting them. Once everything is approved, you're ready to file! With comprehensive tracking and reporting systems like those offered by CryptoTaxCalculator and TaxBit, staying compliant with crypto tax regulations is easier than ever before.

Final Considerations

Now that you have the basics of getting started with crypto tax software, it's important to understand how to stay compliant. As cryptocurrency continues to grow in popularity and become more widely accepted as a legitimate form of currency, governments around the world are looking for ways to regulate it and ensure compliance. In order to remain legally compliant, there are several steps you should take when using crypto tax software.

The first step is to make sure you accurately report all your income from cryptocurrencies on your taxes. This may include filing forms like Schedule 1 or Form 8949 if applicable. Additionally, be sure to keep detailed records of all transactions so that they can easily be accessed during audit periods or other inquiries by relevant authorities. It's also important to note any losses incurred due to market volatility or other factors, as these could potentially reduce the amount of taxable income reported.

Finally, consider consulting a qualified accountant who specializes in cryptocurrency taxation before making any decisions related to filing taxes with crypto tax software. A knowledgeable professional will be able to provide tailored advice based on individual circumstances and help maximize potential deductions while remaining compliant with local regulations. While this option may require additional fees, it can ultimately save money in the long run by ensuring accurate reporting and avoiding costly penalties associated with non-compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are The Potential Penalties For Not Complying With Crypto Tax Regulations?

Staying compliant with crypto tax regulations is an important responsibility. But what are the potential penalties for not complying? Depending on where you live, failing to report or pay taxes due on cryptocurrency trading can result in hefty fines and even criminal prosecution.

The most common consequence of non-compliance is a monetary penalty from the IRS (or other relevant government agency). This could range from interest charges and back taxes owed to additional fines that accrue based on the amount of time since taxes were first due. In some cases, individuals may also face jail time if they are found guilty of deliberately evading their obligations as taxpayers.

It’s essential to understand your local laws so you know how to properly comply with all necessary reporting requirements. Using specialized software can help simplify this process by keeping track of transactions and calculating any applicable capital gains taxes automatically. This will ensure that you remain up-to-date and avoid facing any costly consequences down the line.

How Often Should I Update My Cryptocurrency Tax Records?

Staying compliant with crypto tax regulations is an important part of trading cryptocurrency. One way to ensure compliance is by keeping accurate, up-to-date records. So how often should you update your cryptocurrency tax records?

Generally speaking, it's important to keep track of all your transactions throughout the year and report any gains or losses on a regular basis. This means updating your records every time you buy, sell, trade, or exchange cryptocurrencies. Additionally, if there are specific events that trigger taxable income — like receiving payment in cryptocurrency for services rendered — these must be reported as well.

It’s also recommended to review your portfolio regularly and make sure that the information reflected in the records accurately reflects your current holdings. Doing this periodically will help reduce errors when filing taxes and minimize potential penalties from not staying compliant with crypto tax regulations.

The frequency at which someone updates their cryptocurrency tax records largely depends on their individual situation and risk appetite; however, regardless of what approach one takes, making sure that records remain up-to-date is key for ensuring compliance with crypto tax regulations using software.

Is There A Limit To How Much Cryptocurrency I Can Buy Without Triggering A Tax Liability?

When it comes to buying cryptocurrency, many people are concerned about when their transactions will trigger a tax liability. While there is no definitive answer as to how much you can buy before reaching this point, understanding the laws and regulations surrounding your investment can help you stay compliant with crypto tax regulations using software.

The amount of money you spend on cryptocurrency may or may not affect your taxes depending on several factors. For example, if you're investing in something that's taxable like stocks, bonds or mutual funds then any profits over $600 will be subject to taxation. On the other hand, if you're trading cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum then they might not be considered property until after they've been sold for cash, at which point capital gains would need to be reported. Additionally, any income earned from mining activities must also be reported under tax law.

It’s important to note that each country has its own set of rules regarding crypto taxes so make sure you do your research ahead of time. Generally speaking though, most jurisdictions require individuals who earn more than a certain threshold through digital currency trades and investments to declare these earnings during tax filing season. That said, staying up-to-date with changes in regulation and tracking all of your financial transactions via dedicated software can help ensure compliance with crypto tax requirements without having to worry about triggering a potential liability down the line.

Do I Need To Report Cryptocurrency Gains To The Irs?

The current H2 is: Do I need to report cryptocurrency gains to the IRS? The answer is yes. Cryptocurrency transactions are subject to taxation, and all profits must be reported to the IRS.

No matter how large or small your gain may be, you must report it on your taxes. This includes any income from trading, exchanging, or spending cryptocurrency. You should also keep records of every transaction in case of an audit or other inquiry from the IRS.

To stay compliant with crypto tax regulations using software, there are a few options available. There are many online platforms that can help track and manage your digital asset portfolio for accurate reporting. Some programs even offer automated tax filing capabilities so you don't have to worry about staying up-to-date with ever changing laws and regulations. Additionally, some services will prepare and file your taxes for you at no extra cost—saving time and money in the long run!

It's important to understand cryptocurrency taxation rules and regulations so you can make sure you're following them correctly when filing your taxes each year. Taking advantage of specialized software solutions can greatly reduce the burden associated with complex calculations and ensure compliance with applicable laws.

Can I Use The Same Software To Manage Both My Cryptocurrency And Traditional Investments?

With the ever-growing popularity of cryptocurrencies, some people are turning to digital assets as an alternative investment strategy. But with this new form of finance comes a range of compliance issues and tax regulations that investors must be aware of. One question many traders have is whether they can use the same software to manage both their cryptocurrency investments and traditional investments.

The answer is yes - it's possible to use one piece of software to keep track of all your portfolio activity, regardless of its composition. Many platforms provide comprehensive services for managing both crypto and conventional investments, giving you real-time updates on market prices and news, technical analysis tools, risk management features, educational resources and more. This makes it easier to stay compliant with all relevant regulations without having to switch between different types of software.

Moreover, there are several online services designed specifically for tracking crypto taxes. These services help you accurately report any gains or losses from your cryptocurrency trading activities by automating calculations such as capital gains tax liabilities and income brackets; they also provide support if needed during audits or other legal proceedings related to crypto taxation matters. With these services in place, crypto traders have access to the same level of financial reporting accuracy typically associated with traditional investments – making them better equipped to meet their regulatory obligations.

Conclusion

It's important to stay compliant with crypto tax regulations. Penalties for not complying can be severe, so it's vital to keep your records up-to-date and accurate. You should also understand the limits on how much cryptocurrency you can buy without triggering a tax liability. And finally, don't forget to report any cryptocurrency gains to the IRS as well.

Using software is one of the best ways to make sure that all of these requirements are met. It allows you to easily track and manage both your traditional investments and your crypto portfolio in one place, allowing you to quickly identify any discrepancies or errors before they become costly mistakes.

Overall, staying compliant with crypto taxes doesn't have to be difficult or time consuming - especially when using dedicated software solutions like those available today. With their help, I'm confident that anyone can successfully navigate this complex landscape while ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations.