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Geeks

geeks

The Geeks of War: How Dzyga's Paw Innovated Ukraine's Drone Operations

I’ve recently bumped into a couple of thought-provoking R&D research studies that inspired me to dive in and elaborate further on their findings. One recent study by suggests that although supply chain disruption is the top challenge that organizations across different domains are grappling with today, they’re also facing growing pressures due to continuously accelerating innovation development cycles and faster time to market. Deloitte Another study by finds that “attracting and retaining technical talent” is the top challenge facing R&D leaders in 2022. In particular, of R&D leaders surveyed by Gartner say it’s critical to solve this challenge for the overall performance of their department, and of leaders are confident in their company’s ability to solve it in the next 12 to 18 months. One more significant challenge identified by Gartner is that of R&D Heads find it challenging to optimize their R&D resourcing. Gartner 96% 53% 81% These findings imply that the lack of qualified R&D talents can significantly slow down corporate innovation in general and next-generation product development. This can drastically affect the evolution of the cutting-edge technologies required to remove current technical constraints and find non-trivial, outside-the-box solutions for newly discovered problems that had never existed before. To better understand the difference between R&D engineers and mainstream, regular developers and how to bridge the R&D skills gap effectively, I’ve talked to Victor Dornescu , Chief Innovation Officer and Co-Founder of a Romanian software company rinf.tech that has its own R&D Center for Embedded Development and IoT in Bucharest. Victor, what defines a good R&D strategy today? Essentially, it’s a Team. A cohesive multidisciplinary team can drive any R&D project to success and bridge the gap between science and engineering. For R&D engineers to bring value to any research, they must work closely with people skilled in many other areas and leverage the so-called “group intelligence.” Working in a multidisciplinary team can help engineers abstract from generic findings and self-evident conclusions and focus on discoveries that can create from scratch or disrupt and enrich the existing body of knowledge on a particular subject matter. That being said, a good is to: R&D strategy properly define the problem that needs to be solved through research, assemble a team that will provide space for people with different skill sets and backgrounds to complement each other’s knowledge, and expand and narrow the scope while filtering and venting the backlog by killing zombie ideas/features that will take the team astray. Given the current shortage of R&D engineering talent, as indicated by many recent research studies, where can businesses (especially the non-tech ones) looking to innovate and indulge in engineering research source such talent? And what should they focus on when building their R&D teams? Co-creation is emerging as today’s innovation model of choice, with corporations exploring collaboration with academia, startups, custom software development providers, and even competitors. Pairing engineers with scientists and researchers to work on R&D pilots and proof-of-concept (PoC) projects isn’t easy, as these two groups of specialists are used to different methodologies and approaches. Scientists discover new things while engineers make things work. So, answering your question, there’re a couple of factors to consider. First, make sure you have the ability to search for diverse, multidisciplinary talents both inside and outside your organization. Second, when creating perfect candidate profiles, focus on attracting people from different domains with strong . system- and innovative thinking skills Third, make sure they have done the same or similar thing before and have relevant composable (reusable) assets to speed up the work. Can you provide a real-world example? Some time ago, Honda Research Institute built a multidisciplinary R&D team to explore in-depth data structure format. As they were looking to integrate real-world software engineers with their research team, they turned to rinf.tech and involved three of our team members as research contributors. Our employees participated in the early discussions on the research concept, reviewed the study, and helped develop the virtual language and debugging tool to validate the findings. Multithreading in JavaScript using a JSEN That being said, Honda Research Institute assembled a multidisciplinary team and created conditions supporting cross-skill collaboration, brainstorming, agility, innovative thinking, and others. Thanks to this strategy, they came to several important conclusions like this one: with JSEN, it is possible to execute functions concurrently, avoiding blocking the JavaScript main thread. Today, there’s an acute need to integrate scientists and researchers with coders and software developers, architects, hardware engineers, business analysts, marketing and HR people. Instead of applying when evaluating potential R&D team members, consider applying the so-called . T-matrix π (pai)-matrix Can you explain more about the π-matrix? It is a concept first coined by Airbus. In the past, people were expected to specialize in just one technology area ( ) and have some knowledge of related technical topics ( ). a vertical line in T-matrix a hotizontal line in T-matrix In software engineering, this created a situation when developers lacked business understanding and didn’t share their clients’ mission, vision, and values when building their custom products. This resulted in a strong technical focus but a disconnect from the development strategy, engagement model, overheads at post-production stages, cumbersome, buggy, and partially effective solutions, and other negative business consequences. Over 70% of the code written is never used. A new breed of engineers should have multidisciplinary technical specialization plus related technical disciplines as in the full T-matrix), as well as a good understanding of business functions ( ) paired with mastery of the innovation contradictions ( ). the horizontal line in the π-matrix second vertical line in the π-matrix π-shaped engineers typically work at the intersection of technology, business and society and understand the key performance indicators and functions such as sales, marketing, and HR to be able to deliver actual value and drive modern research. To better manage expectations and R&D outputs, they need to be flexible in changing things on the fly, as projects can change a lot after an MVP stage and target user feedback. They need to be elastic in giving up their planning and direction for a pivot towards a new set of objectives, then renounce their attachment to the comfort of carefully built client relationships and select just a few out of many in order to essentialize new features and scale with those only. They are required to mind-bend in changing research concepts and shifting from an initial focus. It may seem like a straight line, but it’s cyclical like innovation itself, so the engineers must accommodate contradictory directions. Summing up, the ‘T shaped’ engineers are those who appreciate the existence and importance of other engineering roles and technical disciplines and can cross technical boundaries conceptually and in terms of vocabulary and ways of working. Extending this ‘T’ to ‘π’ means engineers are additionally able to work effectively with all business functions (2nd horizontal line) - marketing and sales, services, finance and procurement, etc. - which must be supported by the (2nd vertical line). innovation competency And what constraints exist in transitioning from a T-shaped into a π-shaped engineer? I’d say many constraints are coming from the innovation life cycle. Many engineers still live in the paradigms of fixed-scope projects or agile models, which affects how they treat projects and deliver value. Modern R&D engineers should be able to pivot and change directions. Therefore, they need to keep an open scope and be able to brainstorm, accommodate, reorient and find the way forward within cyclical roadmaps. It’s a new shift in the engineering mindset they should pursue to become π-shaped. So what does it take to turn T-shaped people into π-shaped ones? I think this happens naturally. Today, engineers are influenced significantly by entrepreneurs and salespeople, scientists and researchers, HR and marketing people, creative hipsters, growth hackers, , etc. They form a new social club, and they add value to any type of project, not just R&D. hustlers But still, how is this possible? Well, the engineers are users as well! As new technologies emerge, evolve and catch on, more engineers tend to master them, so there’s an interesting trend of “traditional” engineers transforming themselves into data engineers or AI engineers. Considering the boost in Quantum Computing research (with 127 Qubits of data having been processed by Intel to date and 300 Qubits expected to be processed by the end of the year), many new opportunities pop up for R&D engineers to become π-shaped. So, to wrap it up, modern R&D leaders should be driving the evolution and maturity of a new generation of π-shaped engineers by creating favorable conditions for multidisciplinary collaboration among diverse skills and functions within their teams. On the other hand, academia should promote such new skills among STEM students and adjust their curricula and programs accordingly. This should be a joint effort between the corporate (business) and education (science) worlds. And keep in mind – it is well underway already. Images courtesy of rinf.tech

Growing Geeks Into π-shaped R&D Engineers

Some gift ideas for your programmer friends and family members for holidays and links to buy them. Hello guys, it’s that time of the year again when we love to spend time with family and friends, buy gifts for them and show our love and care to them. My friend circle has a lot of programmers and non-programmers and when it comes to buying gifts for birthdays, anniversary or holidays, I receive a lot of queries from my non-programmer family and friends about what to buy for a programmer? Well, buying a gift is easy but choosing the right gift for someone is really really tough. I have had this experience when it comes to buying gifts for kids. I know they like toys but my wife told me to buy something more valuable, which will not only keep them engaged but also provide some value, help them in learning and they appreciate every time they use. That’s a lot to cater in one single gift, but that’s the perfect gift, isn’t it? Same goes for programmers, you buy them something which they don’t care will not make a difference, they will gleefully accept it and it will remain in a corner of the house. But, if you give something which they can use daily or carve for, they will not only remember you every day but also appreciate your sense of gift. You will be on their good books for a long time. This is particularly important if you try to impress your colleague or boss, who happens to be a technical guy or programmer. some are good but if they are very expensive and you can’t afford them then it not useful. Like any gift, the budget is very important, gifts But, if you want to give someone who is dear to you e.g. your husband, boyfriend, brother, or just a close friend, you definitely want to buy more valuable gifts. That’s why I have included both valuable and somewhat expensive as well as many affordable gifts, which you can buy under 100$ or a little bit higher. Top 10 Gifts for Programmers and IT Pros Here are some of the best gifts you can give to your programmer friends. The gifts are listed in random order and some of them are costly, you can choose based on your budget. 1. MacBook Pro Programmers Love Gadgets and nothing beats Apple when it comes to gadgets. If you are programmer friends doesn’t have MacBook Pro then its a very good idea to gift that to him. Sure, it’s costly, but if he is someone you love or very close to, then its definitely worth it and whoever you gift it, will not forget you for a long time. 2. Plurasight Membership Programmer appreciates memberships and Pluarlsight is like the NetFlix for Software developers. It contains 5000+ online courses on all latest topics like front-end and back-end development, machine learning etc. It also includes interactive quizzes, exercises, and latest certification material. Since learning is an important part of programming job, Plurlasight membership is a great way to stay ahead of your competition. You can buy the , which cost around 299$. It’s the little bit expensive but it offers him a lot of choices on learning and your programmer friend will appreciate everytime he uses it. Plurasight annual membership If you are concerned about the cost side then monthly membership is also a good option, which cost around 29$. The annual membership of Pluralsight is a little bit costly, but it’s worth every penny. Btw, if you get lucky, you may get some holiday offers, last time I bought Pluarlsight membership on during the same period. 33% discount 3. Amazon Prime Music subscription Another thing Programers Loves is music, they just never get tired of listening to music. Many programmers, in fact, need music to work and increase their productivity. Amazon Music is the biggest collection of music and your programmer friend will surely find something he loves in this big store of music. He will appreciate your thoughts and effort, every time he listens to music on his bose headset as well. 4. A Raspberry Pi Raspberry Pi has been around for a while, but it seems like it just keeps getting awesome. Programmers are curious people and them to play with electronics. Raspberry Pi is an entire mini-computer for a ridiculously cheap price and you can get an awesome bundle, like this one, which adds all kinds of cool stuff to play with. It’s also great for tinkering around with a teaching programming to kids or making your own network of servers. Once, I ran Linux on my and used putty to connect it, how awesome is that? In short, one of the best gadget to gift your programmer friend. Rasberry Pi 5. Books Similar to gadgets and music Programmers also like books a lot, but with the book, there is confusion. Which book you should buy for them? A novel, a programming book or something else. Well, even though many programmers like fantasy books and novels they are not so valuable for them but if you buy them something like , books which every programmer can read, they will appreciate it more. Soft Skills: The software developer’s life manual If you need more books to gift programmes there are a lot of choices available, you should check out my list of 10 books every programmer should read . here 6. A Fitness club membership This is another awesome gift you can give someone you love. Since many programmers lack physical activity, you not only encouraging to do more physical activity but also improving their lifestyle. They may not appreciate in a short time but they will surely do in the long run :-) After all, Health is Wealth and you have just got one body to live in :-) If you want some inspiration, you can also read book, another perfect gift when it comes to combining both Fitness and book. The Healthy Programmer The Healthy Programmer 7. Logitech G710+ Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Every programmer needs a good keyboard and your friend will not be different. Though some programmer like silent keyboard and some programmers like a Gaming keyboard, I like gaming one more because I also play games on my PC. Logitech is one of the best companies for peripheral devices, so to me, this keyboard is a great buy. In addition to being a fantastic mechanical keyboard, it also has a bunch of really cool gaming features, so I’m a big fan of it. 8. Games Like gadgets, music, and books, Programmers loves Games too, well I certainly do. I have grown up playing Nintendo games like Super Mario Bros, Mortal Combat and I still play games on my . Xbox So, either you can buy your friends a gaming console like Xbox or Nintendo PI or if he already has one, you can buy them games like . That’s something they will enjoy for sure. Minecraft 9. Intel Boxed Compute Stick with Windows 10 Pre-Loaded This is a really awesome gift for tech geeks? An entire computer, complete with Windows 10, on a stick. You just plug this thing into a TV or monitor and you have a computer. And the best part of it is that it will just you over $100. Simply Awesome. 10. Gift a course from Udemy Programmers love online courses, including me and Udemy is the biggest collection of online courses. It has got over 85,000 online courses to learn anything e.g. starting from popular programming language like Java and Python to advanced technology e.g. Big Data, Automation, Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Machine learning, Robotics etc. Udemy allows you to send a course or a gift card to your programmer friend, you just need to enter his email while purchasing the course. My wife gifted me the and I simply loved it. If your husband is interested in Data Science, Machine Learning, or Artificial intelligence then you can gift that too. Machine Learning A-Z: Hands-On Python & R In Data Science Machine Learning A-Z: Hands-On Python & R In Data Science If you know what your husband or boyfriend like then you can choose some awesome courses from Udemy otherwise just bought a gift card for them. That’s all on this . I am sure, your programmer friend or colleague will love any gift from this list. You can buy them for their birthday or them during the coming holidays. list of 10 awesome gift ideas for programmers gift I know its hard to choose a gift but whatever time and effort you put to select a gift will be remembered forever by your friend if you keep their interest and needs in mind. Btw, if you are still not sure what to buy, you can also check out this from Amazon. Biggest Electronic Gift Guide If you have any other gift ideas then please share as I have told you … Buying a Gift is easy but finding the right gift for someone is really really tough. Happy Holidays and New Year.

10 Awesome Gift Ideas for Programmers and Geeks

Reading Tolkien can Broaden Your Command of English (even if you aren’t taking SATs) When I was in business school a few years ago, all the students were categorized (very informally) into “quants” or “poets” — based on whether you had an engineering/math background, or a liberal arts background. While I didn’t mind this categorization at all, I recall during my own middle and high school years that we geeks were stereotyped as not appreciating literature. Which is odd, because the one thing we geeks love to do is read. We may (or may not) have read Hemingway (except for in a class); but almost all geeks like to read SF&F (science fiction and fantasy). I first read t_he Hobbit_ ( a pretty easy read) and started reading the _Lord of the Rings (_not so easy read) when I was in the sixth grade. I’ve probably re-read them every few years since then (at least until the Peter Jackson movies came out) owning many different editions of the books. It wasn’t just Tolkien’s love for made-up languages that made it a tougher read (Tolkien after all was a professor of medieval languages at Oxford, and in fact, at one point he described the whole reason for the Middle Earth was that he wanted to complete the language of the Elves). For an impatient teenager like me who had grown up on Star Wars and Superman movies, it was also the “pacing” and what I thought of informally as the “boring parts”. I couldn’t really tell you the difference between dales and vales and glens and ferns and dells, I honestly could’ve cared less. I just wanted to get to the Elves and wizards and dwarves, and the incredible fantasy locales like Rivendell , the Mines of Moria, the Bridge of Khaza-dum or the magical Lothlorien. Tolkien liked to spend many paras describing the landscape that the hobbits were traveling through, including descriptions of flora and fauna and weather and the road on days where nothing of note happened. “It was the night of the fifth of October, and they were six days out from Bree. In the morning they found, for the first time since they had left the Chetwood, a track plain to see … It dived into dells, and hugged steep banks …” And then, every now and then there would be a passage like this one: “Great ilexes of huge girth stood dark and solemn in wide glades with here and there among them hoary ash-trees, and giant oaks …” I certainly know what an oak tree is. I am not ashamed to admit that I don’t know what an is (most likely a kind of tree!). I couldn’t tell you off hand what a glade is — something to do with trees (or lack thereof) . But what the hell are ? Again, I am not ashamed to admit, that as a fairly well educated geek — having read Tolkien dozens of times, and armed with degrees from MIT and Stanford — I have no idea what these are! ilex exactly hoary ash-trees Recently, I had a lot of time on my hands, and I re-read the full quadrilogy — rather than watching the Peter Jackson movies (which is what I had been doing in recent years when I was missing hanging out with some of my oldest friends — Bilbo, Frodo, Gandalf, not to mention Gimli, Legolas, Merry, Pippin and of course Strider). This time, I read the books on my kindle, which made it easier to look up the definitions of: a word that I had never heard of (happened now and then), a word that I only vaguely knew the meaning of (happened very often). Looking back, I wish I had this auto lookup ability when I was reading LOTR in high school - it just might have helped me with my verbal SAT scores! So, in honor of the many Geeks who love to read, and the many fans of Tolkien, here are 20 vocabulary words that I came across (and their corresponding definitions) in LOTR that you may not know: If you’ve read LOTR, how many of the words you already know ? Bonus if you can figure out where in LOTR the sample usage is located! : usage in LOTR : “‘No mail have we to fit you,’ said Eowyn, ‘nor any time for the forging of such a ; but here is also a stout of leather, a belt, and a knife.” def: a piece of armor originally covering only the neck and shoulders but later consisting of a full length coat of mail or military tunic. hauberk hauberk jerkin — def: a sleveless jacket. jerkin — def; “another term for HOLM OAK”, or “a tree or shrub of a genus that includes holly and its relatives”. ilex usage in LOTR given earlier. — usage in LOTR given earlier. def: this can mean “grayish-white” or “old and trite”. hoary —usage in LOTR: “Luminous these were too, beautiful and yet horrible of shape, like the demented forms in an uneasy dream; and they forth a faint sickening charnel-smell;” def: “associated with death”. charnel — usage in LOTR: “Looking out from the covert he could see only a dun, shadowless world, fading slowly into a featureless, colourless gloom.” def: of a dull grayish-brown color. dun — usage in LOTR: “and there were acres populous with the leaves of woodland hyacinths; already their sleek bell-stems …”. def: a bulbous plant of the lily family, with starlike leaves and a compact spike of bell shaped fragrant flowers. hyacinth —usage in LOTR: “Here Spring was already busy about them: fronds pierced moss and mould, larches were green-fingered, small flowers were opening in the turf, birds were singing.” def: the leaf or leaflike part of a palm, fern or similar plant. frond — a yellow flowered shrub of the pea family, the leaves of which are modified to form spines. LOTR usage: “For the most part it was covered with a thick growth of gorse and whortleberry, and low tough thorns.” gorse — usage in LOTR : “The host was bivouacked in the pine-woods that clustered about Eilenach Beacon, a tall hill standing up from the long ridges of he Druaden Forest …” def: a temporary camp without tents of cover, use esp. by soldiers or mountaineers. bivouac — LOTR usage: “The townlands were rich, with wide tilth and many orchards and homesteads there were with oast and garner, fold and byre, and many rills rippling through the green…”. def: a kiln for drying hops. oast — a concrete, stone, or metal platform lying alongside projecting into water for loading and unloading ships. “There Anduin, going in a wide kneee about the hills of Emyn Arnen in South Ithilien, bent sharply west, and the out-wall rose upon its very brink; and beneath it lay the quays.” quay — LOTR usage: “far back into the vanished years before the failing of the kings, since Vorondil father of Mardil hunted the wild kine of Araw in the far fields of Rhun.” def: cows collectively. kine — LOTR usage: “He cut out some turves at the foot of the bank just outside the fern-brake, and made a shallow hole and laid his fuel in it.” def: plural form of turf. turves — LOTR usage: “.. and other kinds unknown in the Shire, with wide glades among them;” def: an open space in a forest. glade — LOTR usage: “They are like great carrion birds.” def: the decaying flesh of dead animals. carrion — LOTR usage : “They were very small to look at, yet he knew, somehow that they were huge, with a vast stretch of pinion, flying at a great height.” def: the outer part of the a bird’s wing including the flight feathers. pinion — LOTR usage: “It seemed as if whole armies were on the march, though fro the. most part they were hidden by the reeks and fumes drifting form the fens and wastes beyond.” def: a low and marshy or frequently flooded area of land. fen — LOTR usage: “Day came, and the fallow sun blinked over the lifeless ridges of Ered Lithui.” There are several definitions and I got the wrong one at first: plowed and harrowed but left unsown for a period. The right definition: a pale brown or reddish yellow color. fallow . LOTR usage: “Many great trees grew there, planted long ago, falling into untended age amid a riot of careless descendants; and groves and thickets there were of tamarisk …” def: An Old World shrub or small tree with tiny scalelike leaves borne on slender branches, giving it a feathery appearance. tamarisk Bonus words: The townlands were rich, with wide tilth and many orchards and homesteads there were with oast and garner, fold and byre, and many rills rippling through the green…” OK so what exactly are: tilth, garner, fold, byre, and rills?? And there you go — these 20 are by no means the only vocabulary words I found in LOTR that I didn’t know. You can just pick up the book and within a few pages I think most modern readers, esp. geeks like me, won’t know the exact definition of. Tolkien had quite the vocabulary. In some cases he used words that while apparent to him what they meant, were hard even for the Kindle to look up using the New Oxford dictionary. As you’ll see above, many of the words dealt with nature — these may have been common knowledge to educated Englishmen of Tolkien’s generation, but to today’s American city-dwelling geeks, they might as well be made up Elvish names from the Undying Lands! Still, this time when I read the whole books, by not skipping “the boring parts”, I actually enjoyed his descriptions of the countryside. It really enhanced my respect for Tolkien the writer but also my appreciation for the clarity of his vision of Middle Earth. So who says SF&F can’t be educational too?

Vocabulary for Geeks and Hackers: Lord of the Rings Edition

A few days ago, I stumbled upon the following Tweet, claiming that this is the best cryptocurrency scam the author has ever seen Well if this scam is so brilliant, then it surely deserves a full-blown inquiry. In this post we will go through the details of this scam and hopefully we’ll learn a thing or two about Ethereum, private keys and scams. The Scam The scam is presented from the victims’ point of view, quoting their potential thoughts as they go through the steps of this scam. To make things even more entertaining, I encourage the readers to actually follow the steps on their own, but obviously refrain from sending money to any of the mentioned addresses. Part I: The Discovery The scammers have posted their private key in several public forums and chats. When other members of the forum had seen it, they probably thought: “Such a newbie IDIOT posting his private key: 716560d7fb3c7b937d9af8a532ff154e583320fc42abc46dfc29e0171a6a38e2!” A screenshot of one of the public forums in which the private key was disclosed https://tgwidget.com/widget/?id=5a04632283ba88122a8b4567 Disclosing a private key is of course a big no-no, as the private key is the only information needed to spend cryptocurrency. It’s the equivalent of leaving your wallet in the main street unattended. Part II: Looking inside the Wallet The next step for the more curious members of the forum was probably to find about the contents of this seemingly unattended wallet, left in the main street. “Well, let’s take a look what’s in the wallet.” Viewing the wallet contents and effectively taking control over it is achieved by importing the wallet through feeding the private key to a wallet app. For example, we can use the popular wallet app (MEW) MyEtherWallet Importing a wallet using its private key in MEW https://www.myetherwallet.com/#send-transaction “I’m pressing “unlock”… to find the public address associated with the private key 0x4F805BF6843b6dBd10F9066f27c0cd10fdB444ac and I’m very disappointed to see that the wallet has 0 Ether (ETH).” The public address of the wallet: 0 ETH, but may contain tokens “However, since I know that MEW does not excel in supporting tokens, I follow its suggestion and take a deeper look on the address using EtherScan” EtherScan view of the address. It contains $5K of coins https://etherscan.io/address/0x4f805bf6843b6dbd10f9066f27c0cd10fdb444ac “Ooh-La-La! Although there’s no Ether in the wallet, it holds more than $5000 worth of other Tokens!” Part III: Taking the Money out of the Wallet “Now let’s transfer the money from this poor fellas’ wallet to my wallet quickly, before someone else will get a hold of this treasure.” To do the transfer the account must pay fees, or “Gas” in the Ethereum lingo. MEW suggests the Gas amount to be paid is 21K, which is about 0.0005 Ether or $0.25. “Well, $0.25 is a very small amount, compared to the $5000 I can earn. So I transfer a small amount of Ether for the Gas to the wallet I’m about to empty its contents. Now I’m ready to make the transfer… But wait! I have no Ether in the address again! How did it happen?” Part IV: The Realization “Oh No! Someone had transferred the money I just sent to another address!” Taking a deeper look into the wallet’s history, we can see that it’s not the first time it happened. In fact there are many pairs of incoming transaction followed by an immediate transfer of the same amount (minus Gas) to another address 0x3f3eacb691462d3d067f031f88c9a8bc54fabc79 Taking a deeper look in the history of the address reveals multiple pairs of subsequent transactions https://etherscan.io/address/0x4f805bf6843b6dbd10f9066f27c0cd10fdb444ac “Damn! I was tricked! That poster in the public forum was not the IDIOT in this story, I was!” The scammers have probably written a script (just a regular script, nothing fancy or specific to Ethereum such as smart contract) to monitor their address before disclosing its private key, and whenever Ether is sent to the address, the scammers’ process creates a transaction, signed using the private key and transfers the money to another wallet of the scammer. That other wallet’s private key is not disclosed, naturally. Viewing this address’ history reveals that the scam had earned its creator a nice sum of almost $400 The scammers target address in which they store their loot https://etherscan.io/address/0x3f3eacb691462d3d067f031f88c9a8bc54fabc79 BTW, there’s even more technical depth to it, as the $5K worth of Tokens isn’t really spendable, but that’s a topic for another post. If you would like to dig deeper, please check Adam Hadar’s tweet The Social Engineering Elements in this Scam Although the scam has is interesting from the technical perspective, I think it’s even more intriguing from the psychological point of view. It’s basically an elegant version of the “ applied to cryptocurrency. In the original Nigerian Prince scam, the scammer persuades the victims that they can earn a lot of money, but just need to pay a relatively small amount before. When the victim pays, the scammer disappears with the loot. Nigerian Prince” scam All the elements of the Nigerian Prince scam are present: Easy money, that the victims feel that they already won, just need to pay a small amount to take care of some bureaucracy. In this case the Gas for the Ethereum transaction. Sense of urgency: Since the private key is “a wallet left in the main street” (i.e. posted in a public forum) it creates a potential race between the potential takers, as the winner takes it all. Sense of urgency is a as it disrupts the victim’s better judgement. common element of effective scams Accomplice in crime: Nigerian prince scams try to involve the victims in a shady operation, to make sure the victim will hesitate to report to the authorities. Similarly, in this case since the victims originally thought they are scamming the scammer, therefore they are not likely to protest as much. What makes this cryptocurrency version of the Nigerian Prince scam even more elegant than the original, is the fact there is no dialogue between the scammer and the victims to persuade them to do anything. It’s just an inevitable slippery slope once the victims start with it. Summing Up Once more it’s proven that honesty is the best policy. Don’t do shady things, even if you think that you know what you are doing. Private keys should be private. If you are using a private key that may have been published, you are at risk as you don’t know what others may do with the account and what they will do might eventually surprise you.

Beware of Geeks Bearing Gifts: Autopsy of an Ethereum Based Scam

Being a Geek I Demand More Power From My Browser Hi there! My name is . I’m a webdesigner, coder and . I write about my journey in the . Alexander Isora entrepreneur startup Telegram channel My browser is my main weapon. I use it daily for 90% of my tasks. My life wouldn’t be so smooth without all these awesome extensions I’m about to share with you. Similar Web This is the extension I couldn’t even dream about. Similar Web uses dark magic to display traffic of websites, the traffic sources, geo some more extremely useful info. Get it: _See website traffic and key metrics for any website, including engagement rate, traffic ranking, keyword ranking and…_chrome.google.com SimilarWeb - Traffic Rank & Website Analysis Vimium: Vimium is the belle of the ball of the this list. Vimium makes using browser super fast by adding tons of tricky hotkeys. The key feature of Vimium is it’s modes. E.g. if you press ‘f’ you will enter the link mode. Each link on the page is now has it’s own short ID. Typing this ID will trigger the link. See the screenshot below. If I press “D” I will open the “About” page in the new tab. So damn fast 🚀 However, Vimium is not prfect. Some AJAXy websites will not work with this extension. So it’s too early to throw your mouse away 😅 See docs: _vimium — The hacker’s browser._github.com philc/vimium Get it: _The Hacker’s Browser. Vimium provides keyboard shortcuts for navigation and control in the spirit of Vim._chrome.google.com Vimium Grammarly Grammarly will make sure your messages, documents, and social media posts are clear, mistake-free, and impactful. It has neat UI and UX. I also love the way Grammarly encourage people to buy a pro version. You must pay to fix issues. Neat! advanced Get it: _Enhance your written communication everywhere you type!_chrome.google.com Grammarly for Chrome Image Size Info This small extension does only one thing: it shows an image’s dimensions. Since Chrome is not so geeky oriented as FireFox, we need such tiny extensions. Get it: _Inserts option in the browser's image context menu to view image width, height and file size._chrome.google.com Image Size Info Google Analytics Debugger Prints useful information to the JavaScript console. I use this tool when I need to debug custom Google Analytics events. Get it: _Prints useful information to the JavaScript console by enabling the debug version of the Google Analytics Javascript._chrome.google.com Google Analytics Debugger Tabstop Tabstop prevents tabs from loading when you start Chrome. Click on the blocked tab and it will automatically reload. This simple extension can dramatically reduce Chrome starting time. Get it: _Stops tabs from loading on startup_chrome.google.com Tabstop Session Buddy Session Buddy is a must have for anyone who can not The extension allows saving sessions, name them and search through them. A must have ⚡️ simply close all those tabs. Get it: _Manage Browser Tabs and Bookmarks with Ease_chrome.google.com Session Buddy Octotree This extension shows code tree for GitHub and GitLab. Much simpler to navigate through repos with 🐙tree. Get it: _Code tree for GitHub_chrome.google.com Octotree Ratings Preview for YouTube™ Another ‘why did not they do this themselves?!’ extension. It shows a small rating bar under each thumbnail. So you know in advance whether a video is nice or not. Get it: _Show the likes and dislikes bar over every video thumbnail in YouTube so that you can know its rating before watching…_chrome.google.com Preview for YouTube™ The Great Suspender This extension suspends unused tabs and frees up system resources. Neat! Get it: _Automatically suspends unused tabs to free up system resources_chrome.google.com The Great Suspender Papier I need maaany places to drop my thoughts. Evernote for a structured data, Telegram for fast todos on-the-way, Notion for collaboration, stickers, whiteboard. And here is another one I use: Papier. It’s a simple text editor that shows itself when you open a new tab. Get it: _Open a new tab and trap your best thoughts._chrome.google.com Papier Fontface Ninja Ever asked yourself ‘what font does this website use?‘. Then you will love Fontface Ninja. Get it: _Explore fonts within a website, try, bookmark and buy them !_chrome.google.com Fontface Ninja Marmoset Marmoset is actually not an extension but an app. Anyway, it’s pretty damn great. Marmoset allows creating beautiful code screenshots fast: Perfect for the ones who often writes tech articles. Get it: _Create gorgeous code snapshots._chrome.google.com Marmoset Lighthouse And the last but not the least, is an open-source, automated tool for improving the performance, quality, and correctness of your web apps. Lighthouse Made by , and 100 more awesome contributors, Lighthouse is the number one software to track performance today. Paul Irish Paul Lewis Get it: Lighthousechrome.google.com Lighthouse Conclusion 🔥 Hope you guys enjoyed this list. If so, clap your hands — it’s the best gratitude. I’m hungry for new terrific extensions. Got something not listed here? Share in the comments or in . Twitter Btw, if you want to learn more about , check out this post in my blog: launching a product on Product Hunt https://isora.me/what-ive-learned-from-publishing-10-product-hunt-projects/

14 Hot Chrome Extensions for Geeks 🔥

Got A Startup With An App? You Need AppLovin

Het jy begin met 'n toepassing? Jy het AppLovin nodig

একটি অ্যাপ দিয়ে একটি স্টার্টআপ পেয়েছেন? আপনার অ্যাপলোভিন দরকার

Imate startup sa aplikacijom? Potreban vam je AppLovin

¿Tienes una startup con una aplicación? Necesitas AppLovin

Tes un inicio cunha aplicación? Necesitas AppLovin

アプリを持つスタートアップ企業をお持ちですか？AppLovinが必要です

Қолданба бар стартап бар ма? Сізге AppLovin керек

Masz Startup z Aplikacją? Potrzebujesz AppLovin

د یو اپلیکیشن سره یو پیل ترلاسه کړ؟ تاسو AppLovin ته اړتیا لرئ

Ai un startup cu o aplicație? Ai nevoie de AppLovin

Имате стартуп са апликацијом? Потребан вам је АппЛовин

ایک ایپ کے ساتھ اسٹارٹ اپ حاصل کیا؟ آپ کو AppLovin کی ضرورت ہے۔

In the wild world of Web3, there's constant chatter about memecoins—are they distracting us from “serious” projects, or are they the heart and soul of this decentralized revolution? Well, buckle up because I’ve got some thoughts. Spoiler alert: this isn’t going to be your average TED Talk—it’s going to be a ride, a long one. So grab your moon boots because we’re diving into the world of memecoins. What is a Coin or Token, Anyway? Before we get to the spicy stuff, let’s clear up some jargon. Back in the day (and by "day," I mean 2013, which in crypto years feels like a century), a “coin” referred to the native currency of a blockchain. You know, like ETH for Ethereum or SOL for Solana. Tokens, on the other hand, were created on top of blockchains—like $UNI on Ethereum. But in today’s multi-chain, cross-chain, and just-about-every-chain world, that line between coins and tokens has gotten a little blurry. Native coins can moonwalk as tokens on other chains, so the technical difference isn’t what it used to be. Coins or tokens, at the end of the day, are digital assets. And whether you’re talking about a coin or a token, both represent value in their respective projects. The magic really happens when they start getting traded. In crypto, much like the stock market, value often boils down to how much people believe in it Aping into Digital Assets From a trading perspective, digital assets are like the new baseball cards—except with more charts, volatility, and late-night price checks. When you buy a coin or token, you're not just investing in some tech—you’re buying into a project’s story, its vision, and sometimes, let’s be real, pure hype. It’s like owning a little slice of whatever the project promises to be. Whether it’s solving world-changing problems with decentralized finance or just giving your portfolio a pump, coins and tokens both represent potential value. Now, here's where it gets fun: in the chaotic world of trading, the tech behind an asset often matters less than the market's mood. Is everyone buzzing on Crypto Twitter? Did an influencer mention it in a livestream? Boom—your asset might just moon today. In crypto, much like the stock market, value often boils down to how much people believe in it. Memecoins take this principle and turn it into pure, glorious chaos. 2011: The Start of Crypto Culture When Satoshi Nakamoto dropped the Bitcoin white paper in 2011, it was more than a new digital currency—it was the start of a revolution. The internet needed its own money: decentralized, censorship-resistant, and designed to bypass traditional systems like banks. And just like that, the decentralized world was born, powered by cryptography and offering real ownership for the first time. Back in those early days, crypto was all about counterculture. Meetups weren’t held in shiny tech offices—they were in back alleys and obscure forums, where anarchists, geeks, and visionaries came together. This was the beginning of crypto culture, where community and decentralization took center stage. And let’s face it, that spirit of rebellion still runs deep today. The real issue is that big money often swoops in, distorts things, and leaves retail holding the bag Crypto Trading and Cycles As the crypto space grew, trading cycles emerged—booms and busts driven by innovation and the hunt for profit. But here’s the best part: in crypto, retail traders finally have the power. Unlike traditional markets, where Wall Street calls the shots, in crypto anyone can participate. No middlemen, no gatekeepers, just you and your wallet. Retail investors aren’t just adding fuel to the fire—they’re seizing the opportunity. Cycles are a given in any market. Prices rise, prices fall. But the real issue is that big money often swoops in, distorts things, and leaves retail holding the bag. In crypto, though, retail has a fighting chance. They’re not just chasing profits—they’re taking control of their financial future. And every cycle, new projects gain momentum—just look at Bitcoin, Solana, and the rise of L2 ecosystems. Bitcoin: The Mother of All Memecoins Here’s a fun fact: Bitcoin is the OG memecoin. That’s right, before Shiba Inu or Doge, Bitcoin was just a narrative. It wasn’t backed by anything except belief, community, and a wild dream of decentralized money. People experimented with it (remember the legendary Pizza Day?), and eventually, Bitcoin became something much bigger. But it all started with a narrative and a community, and that’s the essence of a memecoin. The Rise and Rise of Memecoins Let’s face it—crypto thrives on counterculture, and nothing embodies that better than memecoins. We love to make fun of ourselves, our projects, and the entire space through memes. Memecoins take that spirit and crank it up to eleven. Dogecoin started as a joke and “a fork of a fork of a fork” in 2013, but guess what? The joke became real. With a strong, fun-loving community behind it, Dogecoin grew into a legitimate force in the crypto world. It’s proof that community and narrative matter just as much—if not more—than technology. Now, memecoins are having their biggest moment yet. While big money has wormed its way into the rest of crypto, memecoins have remained refreshingly honest (at least the gud ones 😉). They’re driven by community, not corporate greed. They offer retail traders the chance to take control, to claim a piece of the upside. Memecoins bring back that wild, unfiltered trading spirit. Memecoins represent a chance for retail to reclaim control, for community to shine, and for crypto to stay weird—in the best way possible Memecoins and the Cycle That’s Brewing The days of simply slapping a meme on a token and watching it moon are fading. A new breed of memecoins is emerging—coins like Watercoin, SPX6900, and HarryPotterObamaSonic10Inu—built on transparency, fairness, impact, movement, and with goals. These tokens are powered by culture and community. They’re about more than a quick pump—they’re about building something real. From my own journey as co-initiator of Lambo Llama, I can tell you how liberating and fun it is to start such a movement. We are building cross-chain community tokens and L2, built on the memecoin DNA but designed to be more. It’s about inclusivity, learning, and connecting communities in our fragmented and tribalized space. And yes, we don’t take ourselves too seriously, fun is a door-opener for learning, connecting and experimenting. Our community has set the goals and is growing. Memecoins bring back the fun, the chaos, and, most importantly, the community that makes crypto great. They’re reclaiming the space from big money, reminding us what crypto was always meant to be about: empowerment, transparency, and people-driven movements. As we enter a new cycle, memecoins are set to play a huge role. They’re not just surviving—they’re thriving. Memecoins are here to stay because they represent something much deeper than memes. They represent a chance for retail to reclaim control, for the community to shine, and for crypto to stay weird—in the best way possible. So, buckle up because the next ride is going to be wild—and memecoins are leading the charge. Disclaimer: I am a co-initiator of Lambo Llama, so I have my bias 😆 In the wild world of Web3, there's constant chatter about memecoins—are they distracting us from “serious” projects, or are they the heart and soul of this decentralized revolution? Well, buckle up because I’ve got some thoughts. Spoiler alert: this isn’t going to be your average TED Talk—it’s going to be a ride, a long one. So grab your moon boots because we’re diving into the world of memecoins. What is a Coin or Token, Anyway? What is a Coin or Token, Anyway? Before we get to the spicy stuff, let’s clear up some jargon. Back in the day (and by "day," I mean 2013, which in crypto years feels like a century), a “coin” referred to the native currency of a blockchain. You know, like ETH for Ethereum or SOL for Solana. Tokens, on the other hand, were created on top of blockchains—like $UNI on Ethereum. But in today’s multi-chain, cross-chain, and just-about-every-chain world, that line between coins and tokens has gotten a little blurry. Native coins can moonwalk as tokens on other chains, so the technical difference isn’t what it used to be. Coins or tokens, at the end of the day, are digital assets. And whether you’re talking about a coin or a token, both represent value in their respective projects. The magic really happens when they start getting traded. In crypto, much like the stock market, value often boils down to how much people believe in it In crypto, much like the stock market, value often boils down to how much people believe in it Aping into Digital Assets Aping into Digital Assets From a trading perspective, digital assets are like the new baseball cards—except with more charts, volatility, and late-night price checks. When you buy a coin or token, you're not just investing in some tech—you’re buying into a project’s story, its vision, and sometimes, let’s be real, pure hype. It’s like owning a little slice of whatever the project promises to be. Whether it’s solving world-changing problems with decentralized finance or just giving your portfolio a pump, coins and tokens both represent potential value. Now, here's where it gets fun: in the chaotic world of trading, the tech behind an asset often matters less than the market's mood. Is everyone buzzing on Crypto Twitter? Did an influencer mention it in a livestream? Boom—your asset might just moon today. In crypto, much like the stock market, value often boils down to how much people believe in it. Memecoins take this principle and turn it into pure, glorious chaos. 2011: The Start of Crypto Culture 2011: The Start of Crypto Culture When Satoshi Nakamoto dropped the Bitcoin white paper in 2011, it was more than a new digital currency—it was the start of a revolution. The internet needed its own money: decentralized, censorship-resistant, and designed to bypass traditional systems like banks. And just like that, the decentralized world was born, powered by cryptography and offering real ownership for the first time. Back in those early days, crypto was all about counterculture. Meetups weren’t held in shiny tech offices—they were in back alleys and obscure forums, where anarchists, geeks, and visionaries came together. This was the beginning of crypto culture, where community and decentralization took center stage. And let’s face it, that spirit of rebellion still runs deep today. The real issue is that big money often swoops in, distorts things, and leaves retail holding the bag The real issue is that big money often swoops in, distorts things, and leaves retail holding the bag Crypto Trading and Cycles Crypto Trading and Cycles As the crypto space grew, trading cycles emerged—booms and busts driven by innovation and the hunt for profit. But here’s the best part: in crypto, retail traders finally have the power. Unlike traditional markets, where Wall Street calls the shots, in crypto anyone can participate. No middlemen, no gatekeepers, just you and your wallet. Retail investors aren’t just adding fuel to the fire—they’re seizing the opportunity. Cycles are a given in any market. Prices rise, prices fall. But the real issue is that big money often swoops in, distorts things, and leaves retail holding the bag. In crypto, though, retail has a fighting chance. They’re not just chasing profits—they’re taking control of their financial future. And every cycle, new projects gain momentum—just look at Bitcoin, Solana, and the rise of L2 ecosystems. Bitcoin: The Mother of All Memecoins Bitcoin: The Mother of All Memecoins Here’s a fun fact: Bitcoin is the OG memecoin. That’s right, before Shiba Inu or Doge, Bitcoin was just a narrative. It wasn’t backed by anything except belief, community, and a wild dream of decentralized money. People experimented with it (remember the legendary Pizza Day?), and eventually, Bitcoin became something much bigger. But it all started with a narrative and a community, and that’s the essence of a memecoin. The Rise and Rise of Memecoins The Rise and Rise of Memecoins Let’s face it—crypto thrives on counterculture, and nothing embodies that better than memecoins. We love to make fun of ourselves, our projects, and the entire space through memes. Memecoins take that spirit and crank it up to eleven. Dogecoin started as a joke and “a fork of a fork of a fork” in 2013, but guess what? The joke became real. With a strong, fun-loving community behind it, Dogecoin grew into a legitimate force in the crypto world. It’s proof that community and narrative matter just as much—if not more—than technology. Now, memecoins are having their biggest moment yet. While big money has wormed its way into the rest of crypto, memecoins have remained refreshingly honest (at least the gud ones 😉). They’re driven by community, not corporate greed . They offer retail traders the chance to take control, to claim a piece of the upside. Memecoins bring back that wild, unfiltered trading spirit. honest community, not corporate greed Memecoins represent a chance for retail to reclaim control, for community to shine, and for crypto to stay weird—in the best way possible Memecoins represent a chance for retail to reclaim control, for community to shine, and for crypto to stay weird—in the best way possible Memecoins and the Cycle That’s Brewing Memecoins and the Cycle That’s Brewing The days of simply slapping a meme on a token and watching it moon are fading. A new breed of memecoins is emerging—coins like Watercoin, SPX6900, and HarryPotterObamaSonic10Inu—built on transparency, fairness, impact, movement, and with goals. These tokens are powered by culture and community . They’re about more than a quick pump—they’re about building something real. culture community From my own journey as co-initiator of Lambo Llama , I can tell you how liberating and fun it is to start such a movement. We are building cross-chain community tokens and L2, built on the memecoin DNA but designed to be more. It’s about inclusivity, learning, and connecting communities in our fragmented and tribalized space. And yes, we don’t take ourselves too seriously, fun is a door-opener for learning, connecting and experimenting. Our community has set the goals and is growing. Lambo Llama Memecoins bring back the fun, the chaos, and, most importantly, the community that makes crypto great. They’re reclaiming the space from big money, reminding us what crypto was always meant to be about: empowerment, transparency, and people-driven movements. community As we enter a new cycle, memecoins are set to play a huge role. They’re not just surviving—they’re thriving. Memecoins are here to stay because they represent something much deeper than memes. They represent a chance for retail to reclaim control, for the community to shine, and for crypto to stay weird—in the best way possible. So, buckle up because the next ride is going to be wild—and memecoins are leading the charge. Disclaimer: I am a co-initiator of Lambo Llama, so I have my bias 😆 Disclaimer: I am a co-initiator of Lambo Llama, so I have my bias 😆

Memecoins Are Essential and Awesome

Sports analytics has long relied on basic statistics such as points per game, field goal percentage, and rebounds to assess player performance. While these metrics provide some insight, they fall short of capturing the nuances of a player's skill and decision-making abilities. Coaches and analysts often struggle with evaluating the quality of a player's shots, which is crucial for devising effective game strategies. In that realm, Ricky Zhang has made strides. A data scientist at Amazon with a background in economics, mathematics, and computer science from Emory University, Zhang has developed a project that is set to redefine how we understand player performance on the basketball court. His 'Shot Quality' project, using advanced machine learning techniques, specifically beta-binomial regression, addresses the limitations of traditional basketball metrics. The Problem: Stale Metrics and Missed Opportunities Basketball analytics, for ages, leaned on basic stats to gauge player performance. These metrics, though handy, miss the finer points of a player’s skills and decisions. Coaches and analysts often hit walls when judging shot quality—a key factor for crafting game strategies. Ricky Zhang saw these gaps and aimed higher. With his machine learning and AI chops, he was inspired to craft a model that nails down the true quality of basketball shots. A New Era in Basketball Analytics Inspired by a baseball batting averages analytics report, Zhang started creating a model that could accurately assess the quality of shots taken by basketball players. The 'Shot Quality' project was born out of this vision. Zhang’s project utilizes beta-binomial regression, a statistical method that accounts for the variability in players' shooting performance and the trust placed in them by their coaches. The 'Shot Quality' project zeroes in on the context and conditions of player shots. By crunching heaps of data—player positioning, defensive pressure, game situations—Zhang's model predicts shot success likelihood. This fresh method paints a clearer picture of a player's shooting prowess than old-school metrics. One of the biggest challenges in sports analytics is the mountain of data and its tricky interpretation. Zhang's machine learning chops let him efficiently sift through this data, pulling out valuable insights. His model tackles data noise and variability, giving coaches and analysts straightforward, actionable information. The 'Shot Quality' project's impact? Massive. Coaches can now make smarter calls on player rotations, shot choices, and defensive matchups. Knowing which players excel in specific scenarios lets teams play to their strengths and exploit opponents' weaknesses. Ricky Zhang: A Thought Leader in Sports Analytics Zhang's work redefines industry standards. His innovative machine learning approach places him as a thought leader. Beyond technical skills, he's committed to mentoring upcoming data scientists and sharing his insights. The heart of his leadership is all about resilience and adaptability, evident in how he tackled personal hurdles. When Twitch let him go due to company-wide cutbacks, he swiftly pivoted, using his network and skills to land a new gig at Amazon. This journey bolstered his resilience and dedication to nonstop learning—key ingredients in his recipe for success. Zhang's influence in sports analytics is poised to grow. He envisions further refining the 'Shot Quality' model and expanding its applications to other sports. His goal is to integrate real-time data and advanced AI techniques to provide even more accurate and actionable insights. Recent leaps in sports analytics are shining a light on how critical data-driven decisions have become in athletics. Player-tracking tech and high-res video analysis are shaking up the game, capturing every little player's move and interaction on the court, creating a treasure trove of data for the geeks to dive into. The brains at MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference are making noise about how machine learning and AI are flipping sports strategies on their heads. Turns out, models that mix player tracking with game context data can boost the accuracy of performance predictions and strategic calls. Take neural networks, for instance—these bad boys are getting good at predicting player performance and spotting injury risks, giving teams new ways to keep their stars healthy and sharp. Then there’s wearable tech, adding another layer to the data game. Real-time physiological and biomechanical stats are now at coaches’ fingertips, helping keep tabs on player fatigue, recovery, and overall health. This means smarter coaching decisions and players who are primed for peak performance. Zhang's 'Shot Quality' project aligns with these trends, showcasing how advanced statistical models can be applied to sports analytics. By leveraging beta-binomial regression, Zhang's model accounts for the inherent variability in player performance, providing a more nuanced understanding of shooting efficiency. This approach not only enhances the accuracy of performance metrics but also offers deeper insights into player decision-making and game dynamics. The Road Ahead for Ricky Zhang and Shot Quality Project Ricky Zhang’s 'Shot Quality' project represents a significant leap forward in sports analytics. By applying advanced machine learning techniques to basketball performance, he is transforming how we understand and evaluate players. As Zhang continues to innovate and lead in this field, the future of sports analytics looks incredibly promising. For those inspired by Zhang’s journey, there are countless opportunities to explore the intersections of data science and sports. Whether you're an aspiring data scientist or a seasoned professional, Zhang's work serves as a powerful reminder of the impact that innovative thinking and perseverance can have on an industry. If you’re interested in learning more about Ricky Zhang’s work or exploring the future of sports analytics, connect with him on LinkedIn. Stay tuned for more groundbreaking projects that will continue to reshape the world of sports. Sports analytics has long relied on basic statistics such as points per game, field goal percentage, and rebounds to assess player performance. While these metrics provide some insight, they fall short of capturing the nuances of a player's skill and decision-making abilities. Coaches and analysts often struggle with evaluating the quality of a player's shots, which is crucial for devising effective game strategies. In that realm, Ricky Zhang has made strides. Ricky Zhang Ricky Zhang A data scientist at Amazon with a background in economics, mathematics, and computer science from Emory University, Zhang has developed a project that is set to redefine how we understand player performance on the basketball court. His 'Shot Quality' project, using advanced machine learning techniques, specifically beta-binomial regression, addresses the limitations of traditional basketball metrics. The Problem: Stale Metrics and Missed Opportunities Basketball analytics, for ages, leaned on basic stats to gauge player performance. These metrics, though handy, miss the finer points of a player’s skills and decisions. Coaches and analysts often hit walls when judging shot quality—a key factor for crafting game strategies. Ricky Zhang saw these gaps and aimed higher. With his machine learning and AI chops, he was inspired to craft a model that nails down the true quality of basketball shots. A New Era in Basketball Analytics Inspired by a baseball batting averages analytics report , Zhang started creating a model that could accurately assess the quality of shots taken by basketball players. The 'Shot Quality' project was born out of this vision. Zhang’s project utilizes beta-binomial regression, a statistical method that accounts for the variability in players' shooting performance and the trust placed in them by their coaches. baseball batting averages analytics report baseball batting averages analytics report The 'Shot Quality' project zeroes in on the context and conditions of player shots. By crunching heaps of data—player positioning, defensive pressure, game situations—Zhang's model predicts shot success likelihood. This fresh method paints a clearer picture of a player's shooting prowess than old-school metrics. One of the biggest challenges in sports analytics is the mountain of data and its tricky interpretation. Zhang's machine learning chops let him efficiently sift through this data, pulling out valuable insights. His model tackles data noise and variability, giving coaches and analysts straightforward, actionable information. The 'Shot Quality' project's impact? Massive. Coaches can now make smarter calls on player rotations, shot choices, and defensive matchups. Knowing which players excel in specific scenarios lets teams play to their strengths and exploit opponents' weaknesses. Ricky Zhang: A Thought Leader in Sports Analytics Zhang's work redefines industry standards. His innovative machine learning approach places him as a thought leader. Beyond technical skills, he's committed to mentoring upcoming data scientists and sharing his insights. The heart of his leadership is all about resilience and adaptability, evident in how he tackled personal hurdles. When Twitch let him go due to company-wide cutbacks, he swiftly pivoted, using his network and skills to land a new gig at Amazon. This journey bolstered his resilience and dedication to nonstop learning—key ingredients in his recipe for success. Zhang's influence in sports analytics is poised to grow. He envisions further refining the 'Shot Quality' model and expanding its applications to other sports. His goal is to integrate real-time data and advanced AI techniques to provide even more accurate and actionable insights. Recent leaps in sports analytics are shining a light on how critical data-driven decisions have become in athletics. Player-tracking tech and high-res video analysis are shaking up the game, capturing every little player's move and interaction on the court, creating a treasure trove of data for the geeks to dive into. The brains at MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference are making noise about how machine learning and AI are flipping sports strategies on their heads. Turns out, models that mix player tracking with game context data can boost the accuracy of performance predictions and strategic calls. Take neural networks, for instance—these bad boys are getting good at predicting player performance and spotting injury risks, giving teams new ways to keep their stars healthy and sharp. Then there’s wearable tech, adding another layer to the data game. Real-time physiological and biomechanical stats are now at coaches’ fingertips, helping keep tabs on player fatigue, recovery, and overall health. This means smarter coaching decisions and players who are primed for peak performance. Zhang's 'Shot Quality' project aligns with these trends, showcasing how advanced statistical models can be applied to sports analytics. By leveraging beta-binomial regression, Zhang's model accounts for the inherent variability in player performance, providing a more nuanced understanding of shooting efficiency. This approach not only enhances the accuracy of performance metrics but also offers deeper insights into player decision-making and game dynamics. The Road Ahead for Ricky Zhang and Shot Quality Project Ricky Zhang’s 'Shot Quality' project represents a significant leap forward in sports analytics. By applying advanced machine learning techniques to basketball performance, he is transforming how we understand and evaluate players. As Zhang continues to innovate and lead in this field, the future of sports analytics looks incredibly promising. For those inspired by Zhang’s journey, there are countless opportunities to explore the intersections of data science and sports. Whether you're an aspiring data scientist or a seasoned professional, Zhang's work serves as a powerful reminder of the impact that innovative thinking and perseverance can have on an industry. If you’re interested in learning more about Ricky Zhang’s work or exploring the future of sports analytics, connect with him on LinkedIn . Stay tuned for more groundbreaking projects that will continue to reshape the world of sports. LinkedIn LinkedIn

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