American wearables firm Realwear has acquired Swiss augmented reality (AR) startup Almer Technologies.Almers AR headset the Arc-2 overlays digital information onto the wearers field of view, allowing them to access real-time data, instructions, or assistance from an engineer seated anywhere in the world. The glasses are targeted specifically at industrial companies looking to help their staff maintain and repair equipment and machinery remotely.Almers innovative approach for frontline workers has enabled us to deliver industrial AR solutions that are intuitive and effortless to use, said Sebastian Beetschen, Almers co-founder and CEO.Beetschen founded Almer alongside Timon Binder in 2021 as a spin-off from a research project at the Swiss Insitute for Technology. The company has raised $8mn in funding so far. Its clients include Coca-Cola, Ford, and Samsung.The of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!For Realwear, the acquisition is part of its plans to become a global leader in the industrial wearables space. For Almer, the deal bolsters the budding companys ambitionsto scale at pace and expand beyond Europe.We are thrilled that the Almer team is joining forces with the American leader in the augmented reality space for frontline workers, said Olivier Laplace, managing partner at Swiss VC Vi Partners. The firm was an early back of Almer.This strategic move validates our early conviction that Almer is a technical front-runner, said Laplace, who will now join the board of directors of Realwear.The acquisition comes as the market for AR, and extended reality (XR) more broadly, consolidates.The initial hype around XR sparked a wave of startups and experimental applications, driven by excitement over immersive digital experiences. Now, as the market matures, were beginning to see where the technology adds real value.XR tech can now be found in any industry that benefits from immersive interactions. Healthtech has been one of the greatest use cases. AR is used to provide train medical professionals, enhance patient diagnostics, and even facilitate remote surgeries.Startups in transportation, manufacturing, professional training and construction are also harnessing the technology. And of course, gaming and entertainment the early targets of the XR market still make up a sizeable portion of the market.Almers buyout was financially backed by TeamViewer, a major player in enterprise AR software that owns a minority stake in both Almer and Realwear. Almer will continue to operate from its headquarters in Switzerland. The deal amount was not disclosed. Story by Sin Geschwindt Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecos (show all) Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecosystem. He's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. Sin has five years journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with

Recent rumors have strongly suggested that Apple is working on an ultra-slim version of the iPhone for next year that could be called the iPhone 17 Slim or even the iPhone 17 Air. While we are almost a year away from this product, it seems that Samsung is pushing ahead with its plans to launch a Galaxy S25 Slim.Samsung wants a Slim phone to compete with iPhone AirSmartPrix has obtained details of SM-S937, a mysterious variant of Samsungs Galaxy S25. The website explains that the model numbers of the successors to the Galaxy S24, S24+ and S24 Ultra had already been leaked, and the fourth identifier suggests that the lineup will gain another version in addition to the three existing versions.A report last month revealed that Samsung is building a Slim version of the Galaxy S25 that will be launched next year along with the other phones in the S25 series. Its still unclear how much thinner this new Galaxy phone will be, but it seems that Samsung wants to get ahead of Apple in the race for the thinnest smartphone of 2025.According to multiple sources, Apple is expected to replace the Plus variant of the iPhone with this super slim version next year. The device is rumored to have a single rear camera and a smaller cut-out for the front camera and sensors behind the Dynamic Island. The so-called iPhone 17 Air would be promoted as a version between the regular iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Pro.The iPhone 17 Air should also be one of the first iPhone models to feature Apples new custom 5G modem, along with the iPhone SE 4. However, a recent report suggested that Apple is facing difficulties in making a super slim design, and it may not be as thin as initially expected.As of right now, the iPhone 17 lineup is expected to be announced and released in September of 2025. As always, this timeline can shift based on production and supply chain issues.Its also important to remember that because were still months away from the announcement of the iPhone 17 lineup, its possible that Apples plans change.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Vimeo recently launched its visionOS app that Apple announced during WWDC 2024. As part of bringing Vimeo to the Apple Vision Pro, filmmaker Jake Oleson has published a short film dubbed currents. If you can get your hands on an Apple Vision Pro, give the spatial short film a watch.My favorite part? The cinematography style that resembles photographs coming to life to me. currents is also an easy viewing with wonderful music and a thoughtful story. Do give it a watch on Vision Pro if you can.Accompanying the short film is a very cool director interview blog post on Vimeo that shares more about the process:As part of the launch of Vimeosnew appfor Apple Vision Pro, we asked him to create an original short film for us that was shot entirely in spatial format. Armed with a single Canon camera with a dual fisheye lens, Jake and his team flew out to Vietnam to create currents, the story of a young Vietnamese woman named Lynn, and her experience traveling to and arriving in Ho Chi Minh City for the first time.Meanwhile, theres plenty of great spatial and 3D content AVP users should have queued up and ready to view. See Apple Vision Pro proves best home theater as 2024 top grossing films arrive in 3D and Apple Immersive Concert for One arrives next week on Vision Pro for suggestions.Follow Zac: X, Threads, Instagram / Shop Apple on Amazon to support my work Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

The budding bromance between SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and president-elect Donald Trump could have massive implications for the United States' space program assuming the volatile pair don't flame out, as both have repeatedly done with other allies.That's especially true when factoring in NASA's current strategy of relying on the private space industry for initiatives ranging from getting to the surface of the Moon to building a space station in Earth's orbit.As Durham University astropolitics associate professor Bleddyn Bowen argues in an essay for The Conversation, the unusual pair-up between the new president and the richest man in the world could see the US doubling down on its existing private industry-led space policy, while potentially supercharging an emerging arms race in the Earth's orbit.In some ways, the Trump administration could simply continue where it left off four years ago, with an emphasis on the Artemis Moon landing program, which has continued under the current Biden administration.But the inclusion of Musk in Trump's inner circle this time around could also shake up NASA's priorities.As SpacePolicyOnline editor Marcia Smith recently noted, the US may double down on human spaceflight efforts, an endeavor long championed by his new right-hand man. Don't forget that during his first term, Trump offered the head of NASA unlimited funding if the agency could get to Mars during his presidency."For all of the money we are spending, NASA should NOT be talking about going to the Moon We did that 50 years ago," Trump tweeted in 2019. "They should be focused on the much bigger things we are doing, including Mars (of which the Moon is a part), Defense and Science!"This is all still hypothetical. After all, Trump didn't appoint Musk as the country's space policy czar instead, the richest man in the world has been put in charge of a still-fictional "Department of Government Efficiency," which will allegedly be tasked with "dismantling government bureaucracy" and slashing "excess regulations."That role could facilitate Musk's hunger to break down environmental rules that were put in place, for instance, to protect wildlife inhabiting the region surrounding his space company's so-called "Starbase" facilities in South Texas.At the same time, especially given Trump's ongoing denial of climate change, other government agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) or NASA's Earth Sciences Division could face major budget cuts, Smith argued.And don't forget thatNASA was already severely underfunded under the Biden administration, with Congress balking at the space agency's ballooning budgetary demands. Just this week, NASA's iconic Jet Propulsion Lab in California announced it would be laying off an additional 325 employees.Where a GOP-led Congress will leave NASA's financial situation remains to be seen. As Smith points out, around half of its budget is currently allocated to its human spaceflight program.The new administration could also majorly shake up the National Space Council, which is by law overseen by the Vice President. As Bowen points out, vice president Kamala Harris formalized a ban on anti-satellite weapons tests in 2022, something that could be revoked under vice president-elect JD Vance.As far as we can tell, Vance has no background in space whatsoever, making his control over the council a big question mark.On an international level, Trump's saber-rattling "America First" approach could greatly deteriorate foreign relations, especially when it comes to space.However, alienating the international space community could have devastating effects on the country's efforts to establish dominance in space."I think were just going to wait and see how that plays out," former US Space Command deputy commander John Shaw said during a recent episode the Space Foundation podcast, as quoted by SpaceNews. "Its hard to do things on your own in space, because were all in there together. It would be like trying to do air traffic control all by yourself."More on space policy: It Sounds Like NASA's Moon Rocket Might Be Getting CanceledShare This Article

Image by Jabin Botsford / The Washington Post via GettyRx/MedicinesThere are plenty of reasons to be skeptical about Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump's newly mintedsecretary of Health and Human Services.But a particularly concrete example might be that helobbied against vaccination in the Polynesian island nation of Samoa prior to a deadly uptick in measles that killed dozens of children there.Kennedy claimed in the 2023 documentary Shot in the Arm that he "had nothing to do with people not vaccinating in Samoa" while visiting the Polynesian islands in 2019. However, that Kennedy and the anti-vaccination nonprofit he founded, Children's Health Defense, actually encouraged misinformation around vaccinations during a 2019 trip, just months before the ravaging outbreak and which helped influence the decrease in measles vaccinations that precipitated it.Ultimately, the 83 deaths that measles caused in Samoa is an unfixable tragedy, and to say the least it doesn't bode particularly well for Kennedy's influence on health policy here in the US. But RFK seems undisturbed by the fact that he helped induce a public health crisis.In some ways, that disastrous rsum puts the Kennedy scion squarely in line with Trump's public health legacy. After all, Trump ruled over the devastating COVID-19 pandemic about as thoughtfully as a cat dropping a beheaded mouse on a pillow.Trump publicly railed against the level-headedformer White House chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci, dismissing him as "a disaster." And instead of upholding Fauci's science-backed advice, Trump preferred to baselessly promote the anti-parasitic hydroxychloroquine, which is now associated with higher death rates among COVID-19 patients, and publicly muse about injecting patients with bleach.There's a strange side note, but it's worth mentioning: one of Trump's smarter moves during the early pandemic was to pour funding into developing a COVID vaccine, in an initiative known as Operation Warp Speed that's been broadly hailed as a success.The only problem? Trump quickly realized that his base hates the idea of vaccines, so he stopped talking about it on the campaign trail and regressed back into his more traditional fearmongering on the topic.In other words, Kennedy who once proudly proclaimed that a worm had eaten chunks of his brain, and that's without getting into the weird animal stuff should feel protected by Trump's conspiracy-soaked White House. Whether Americans should feel the same is a different matter entirely.More on Robert F. Kennedy: RFK Jr. Gloats About Plan to Gut FDA Under TrumpShare This Article

Nov 15, 2024Ravie LakshmananCyber Espionage / MalwareCybersecurity researchers have shed light on a new remote access trojan and information stealer used by Iranian state-sponsored actors to conduct reconnaissance of compromised endpoints and execute malicious commands.Cybersecurity company Check Point has codenamed the malware WezRat, stating it has been detected in the wild since at least September 1, 2023, based on artifacts uploaded to the VirusTotal platform."WezRat can execute commands, take screenshots, upload files, perform keylogging, and steal clipboard content and cookie files," it said in a technical report. "Some functions are performed by separate modules retrieved from the command and control (C&C) server in the form of DLL files, making the backdoor's main component less suspicious."WezRat is assessed to be the work of Cotton Sandstorm, an Iranian hacking group that's better known under the cover names Emennet Pasargad and, more recently, Aria Sepehr Ayandehsazan (ASA).The malware was first documented late last month by U.S. and Israeli cybersecurity agencies, describing it as an "exploitation tool for gathering information about an end point and running remote commands."Attack chains, per the government authorities, involve the use of trojanized Google Chrome installers ("Google Chrome Installer.msi") that, in addition to installing the legitimate Chrome web browser, is configured to run a second binary named "Updater.exe" (internally called "bd.exe").The malware-laced executable, for its part, is designed to harvest system information and establish contact with a command-and-control (C&C) server ("connect.il-cert[.]net") to await further instructions.Check Point said it has observed WezRat being distributed to several Israeli organizations as part of phishing emails impersonating the Israeli National Cyber Directorate (INCD). The emails, sent on October 21, 2024, originated from the email address "alert@il-cert[.]net," and urged recipients to urgently install a Chrome security update."The backdoor is executed with two parameters: connect.il-cert.net 8765, which represents the C&C server, and a number used as a 'password' to enable the correct execution of the backdoor," Check Point said, noting that providing an incorrect password could cause the malware to "execute an incorrect function or potentially crash.""The earlier versions of WezRat had hard-coded C&C server addresses and didn't rely on 'password' argument to run," Check Point said. "WezRat initially functioned more as a simple remote access trojan with basic commands. Over time, additional features such as screenshot capabilities and a keylogger were incorporated and handled as separate commands."Furthermore, the company's analysis of the malware and its backend infrastructure suggests there are at least two different teams who are involved in the development of WezRat and its operations."The ongoing development and refinement of WezRat indicates a dedicated investment in maintaining a versatile and evasive tool for cyber espionage," it concluded."Emennet Pasargad's activities target various entities across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, posing a threat not only to direct political adversaries but also to any group or individual with influence over Iran's international or domestic narrative."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

Nov 15, 2024Ravie LakshmananArtificial Intelligence / VulnerabilityCybersecurity researchers have disclosed two security flaws in Google's Vertex machine learning (ML) platform that, if successfully exploited, could allow malicious actors to escalate privileges and exfiltrate models from the cloud."By exploiting custom job permissions, we were able to escalate our privileges and gain unauthorized access to all data services in the project," Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 researchers Ofir Balassiano and Ofir Shaty said in an analysis published earlier this week."Deploying a poisoned model in Vertex AI led to the exfiltration of all other fine-tuned models, posing a serious proprietary and sensitive data exfiltration attack risk."Vertex AI is Google's ML platform for training and deploying custom ML models and artificial intelligence (AI) applications at scale. It was first introduced in May 2021.Crucial to leveraging the privilege escalation flaw is a feature called Vertex AI Pipelines, which allows users to automate and monitor MLOps workflows to train and tune ML models using custom jobs.Unit 42's research found that by manipulating the custom job pipeline, it's possible to escalate privileges to gain access to otherwise restricted resources. This is accomplished by creating a custom job that runs a specially-crafted image designed to launch a reverse shell, granting backdoor access to the environment.The custom job, per the security vendor, runs in a tenant project with a service agent account that has extensive permissions to list all service accounts, manage storage buckets, and access BigQuery tables, which could then be abused to access internal Google Cloud repositories and download images.The second vulnerability, on the other hand, involves deploying a poisoned model in a tenant project such that it creates a reverse shell when deployed to an endpoint, abusing the read-only permissions of the "custom-online-prediction" service account to enumerate Kubernetes clusters and fetch their credentials to run arbitrary kubectl commands."This step enabled us to move from the GCP realm into Kubernetes," the researchers said. "This lateral movement was possible because permissions between GCP and GKE were linked through IAM Workload Identity Federation."The analysis further found that it's possible to make use of this access to view the newly created image within the Kubernetes cluster and get the image digest which uniquely identifies a container image using them to extract the images outside of the container by using crictl with the authentication token associated with the "custom-online-prediction" service account.On top of that, the malicious model could also be weaponized to view and export all large-language models (LLMs) and their fine-tuned adapters in a similar fashion.This could have severe consequences when a developer unknowingly deploys a trojanized model uploaded to a public repository, thereby allowing the threat actor to exfiltrate all ML and fine-tuned LLMs. Following responsible disclosure, both the shortcomings have been addressed by Google."This research highlights how a single malicious model deployment could compromise an entire AI environment," the researchers said. "An attacker could use even one unverified model deployed on a production system to exfiltrate sensitive data, leading to severe model exfiltration attacks."Organizations are recommended to implement strict controls on model deployments and audit permissions required to deploy a model in tenant projects.The development comes as Mozilla's 0Day Investigative Network (0Din) revealed that it's possible to interact with OpenAI ChatGPT's underlying sandbox environment ("/home/sandbox/.openai_internal/") via prompts, granting the ability to upload and execute Python scripts, move files, and even download the LLM's playbook.That said, it's worth noting that OpenAI considers such interactions as intentional or expected behavior, given that the code execution takes place within the confines of the sandbox and is unlikely to spill out."For anyone eager to explore OpenAI's ChatGPT sandbox, it's crucial to understand that most activities within this containerized environment are intended features rather than security gaps," security researcher Marco Figueroa said."Extracting knowledge, uploading files, running bash commands or executing python code within the sandbox are all fair game, as long as they don't cross the invisible lines of the container."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

With uncertainty about how a new Trump Administration will handle the $52.7 billion program, the outgoing administration is under pressure to make good on one of its signature legislative wins.

John Edwards, Technology Journalist & AuthorNovember 15, 20245 Min ReadSasin Paraksa via Alamy Stock PhotoIn their never-ending quest to improve efficiency and productivity, a rapidly growing number of enterprises are currently building, or planning to build, augmented-connected workforces. An augmented-connected workforce allows humans and machines to work together in close partnership. The goal is people and devices functioning more productively and efficiently than when working in isolation.An augmented-connected workforce can be defined as a tech-enabled workforce of humans that have access to next-generation technologies, such as AI, IoT, and smart devices, to do their day-to-day jobs, says Tim Gaus, a principal and smart manufacturing business leader with Deloitte Consulting, in an online interview. "These technologies add a level of intelligence and efficiency for employees by providing skills that humans dont possess while allowing workers to focus on higher level, strategic work." In general, augmented-connected workforces allow for a more dynamic, connected work environment that prepares human team members to work seamlessly with high technology devices.Building the CaseToday's workforce is moving rapidly toward an integrated, interconnected ecosystem of workers and technology. "By evolving our mindset on what a workforce is, it becomes clear that an augmented-connected workforce provides the most potential," Gaus says.Related:An augmented-connected workforce's benefits vary significantly depending on the type of augmentation being applied, says Melissa Korzun, vice president of customer experience operations at technology services firm Kantata. On the whole, however, it can reduce errors, decrease costs, improve quality, and even contribute to safer working conditions in manufacturing sectors, she notes in an email interview.Other potential benefits include faster training and upskilling, improved safety, enhanced efficiency, and better cost management. "In manufacturing, for example, as businesses look to expand production capabilities, using innovative tools designed for workers can help streamline processes, leading to faster time-to-market," Gaus explains.Korzun notes that in the business sector an augmented-connected workforce promises to build significant administrative efficiency. It can, for example, reduce the time needed to process large volumes of information while creating the ability to summarize unstructured data sets. Companies that take advantage of these new assistive capabilities will benefit from improved productivity, increased quality, and less burnout in their workforce, she says.Related:As organizations continue to scale their augmented-connected workforces, additional benefits are likely to emerge. "Life sciences, for example, has seen a huge benefit in leveraging computers to expedite data analysis and then pairing humans to use these discoveries to create new therapies for diseases," Gaus says. He expects that many other discoveries will emerge across industries over time, leading to innovations as well as new opportunities to engage customers.Virtual AssistanceAn augmented workforce can work faster and more efficiently thanks to seamless access to real-time diagnostics and analytics, as well as live remote assistance, observes Peter Zornio, CTO at Emerson, an automation technology vendor serving critical industries. "An augmented-connected workforce institutionalizes best practices across the enterprise and sustains the value it delivers to operational and business performance regardless of workforce size or travel restrictions," he says in an email interview.An augmented-connected workforce can also help fill some of the gaps many manufacturers currently face, Gaus says. "There are many jobs unfilled because workers aren't attracted to manufacturing, or lack the technological skills needed to fill them," he explains.Related:Building a PlanTo keep pace with competitors, businesses should develop a comprehensive strategy for utilizing new technologies, including establishing a cross-functional team that's dedicated to identifying critical areas where technology augmentation can help solve core business challenges, Korzun says. "There are lots of shiny objects out there to chase right now -- focus on applying new tech capabilities to your most critical business issues." To assist with planning, she advises IT leaders to talk with their vendors about their current augmented-connected workforce technologies and their roadmaps for the future.For enterprises that have already invested in advanced digital technologies, the path leading to an augmented-connected workforce is already underway. The next step is ensuring a holistic approach when looking at tangible ways to achieve such a workforce. "Look at the tools your organization is already using -- AI, AR, VR, and so on -- and think about how you can scale them or connect them with your human talent," Gaus says. Yet advanced technologies alone aren't enough to guarantee long-term success. "Innovative tools are the starting point, but finding ways to make human operations more efficient will lead to true impact."Final ThoughtsWhile many enterprises have already begun integrating emerging technologies into routine tasks, innovation alone without considering the role humans will play within the new model can lead to slower progress in an augmented-connected model, Gaus warns. "Humans are much more likely to engage with and utilize technology they understand and trust." The other piece of the puzzle is ensuring that workers are appropriately skilled in the new technologies entering the business.Businesses must continue to embrace technology and digital transformation in order to build the most dynamic workforce possible, Gaus states. "Doing so will maximize their technology investment and create a more connected, reliable workforce."About the AuthorJohn EdwardsTechnology Journalist & AuthorJohn Edwards is a veteran business technology journalist. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and numerous business and technology publications, including Computerworld, CFO Magazine, IBM Data Management Magazine, RFID Journal, and Electronic Design. He has also written columns for The Economist's Business Intelligence Unit and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Communications Direct. John has authored several books on business technology topics. His work began appearing online as early as 1983. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he wrote daily news and feature articles for both the CompuServe and Prodigy online services. His "Behind the Screens" commentaries made him the world's first known professional blogger.See more from John EdwardsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also LikeWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore Reports

You know what they say about making a good first impression. For a movie, that first impression usually comes in the form of a title, which can immediately entice or immediately turn off a potential viewer. DoesBack to the Future become a defining movie of the 80s with its first title,Space Man From Pluto? I guess its possible, but I doubt it.Today were looking at great movie titles and specifically, great titles for movie sequels. As with sequels themselves, sequel titles cango one of two ways: Obvious and low-effort (think of any sequel with the number2at the end of the title) or inventive and original. Below, Ive picked 25 sequel titlesthat emphaticallybelong tothe latter category.Theyre ranked in ascending order, with the #25 as the least impressive and #1 claiming the title of the greatest sequel title ever. (Yes, a title for titles.) Butthis is all subjective. You might think #18 is the best title on the list. (Its certainly a very good choice.) You might wonder why your favorite got left off entirely. (Im sorry,Live Free or Die Hard! You just missed the cut.) Again, this is just one mans list, and there are a lot of good sequel titles out there. (There are also a lot ofbad sequel titles out there as you can see on ourprevious list of the dumbest sequel subtitles in history.)Without any additional rambling, and with a tip of the cap to the space man from Pluto, here are my picks for the best sequel titles...The 25 Best Sequel TitlesThese sequels all share one thing in common: They all have really good titles.READ MORE: 20 Sequels That You Forgot ExistedThe Least Likely Sequels That Actually HappenedWe cannot believe these sequels exist.