Perla

perla

This paper is available on arxiv under CC 4.0 license.
Authors:
(1) Andrey Zhmoginov, Google Research & {azhmogin,sandler,mxv}@google.com;
(2) Mark Sandler, Google Research & {azhmogin,sandler,mxv}@google.com;
(3) Max Vladymyrov, Google Research & {azhmogin,sandler,mxv}@google.com. Table of Links Abstract and Introduction
Problem Setup and Related Work
HyperTransformer
Experiments
Conclusion and References
A Example of a Self-Attention Mechanism For Supervised Learning
B Model Parameters
C Additional Supervised Experiments
D Dependence On Parameters and Ablation Studies
E Attention Maps of Learned Transformer Models
F Visualization of The Generated CNN Weights
G Additional Tables and Figures B MODEL PARAMETERS Here we provide additional information about the model parameters used in our experiments. Image augmentations and feature extractor parameters. For OMNIGLOT dataset, we used the same image augmentations that were originally proposed in MAML. For MINIIMAGENET and TIEREDIMAGENET datasets, however, we used ImageNet-style image augmentations including horizontal image flipping, random color augmentations and random image cropping. This helped us to avoid model overfitting on the MINIIMAGENET dataset and possibly on TIEREDIMAGENET. The dimensionality d of the label encoding ξ and weight slice encoding µ was typically set to 32. Increasing d up to the maximum number of weight slices plus the number of per-episode labels, would allow the model to fully disentangle examples for different labels and different weight slices, but can also make the model train slower. Transformer parameters. Since the weight tensors of each layer are generally different, our perlayer transformers were also different. The key, query and value dimensions of the transformer were chosen to be equal to a pre-defined fraction ν of the input embedding size, which in turn was a function of the label embedding and feature dimensionality as well as the size of the weight slices. The inner dimension of the final fully-connected layer in the transformer was also chosen using the same approach. In our MINIIMAGENET and TIEREDIMAGENET experiments, ν was chosen to be 0.5 and in OMNIGLOT experiments, we used ν = 1. Each transformer typically contained 2 or 3 encoder layers and used 2 or 8 heads for OMNIGLOT and MINIIMAGENET, TIEREDIMAGENET, correspondingly. Learning schedule. In all our experiments, we used gradient descent optimizer with a learning rate in the 0.01 to 0.02 range. Our early experiments with more advanced optimizers were unstable. We used a learning rate decay schedule, in which we reduced the learning rate by a factor of 0.95 every 105 learning steps. This paper is available on arxiv under CC 4.0 license. Authors: (1) Andrey Zhmoginov, Google Research & {azhmogin,sandler,mxv}@google.com; (2) Mark Sandler, Google Research & {azhmogin,sandler,mxv}@google.com; (3) Max Vladymyrov, Google Research & {azhmogin,sandler,mxv}@google.com. This paper is available on arxiv under CC 4.0 license. Authors: (1) Andrey Zhmoginov, Google Research & {azhmogin,sandler,mxv}@google.com; (2) Mark Sandler, Google Research & {azhmogin,sandler,mxv}@google.com; (3) Max Vladymyrov, Google Research & {azhmogin,sandler,mxv}@google.com. Table of Links Abstract and Introduction Problem Setup and Related Work HyperTransformer Experiments Conclusion and References A Example of a Self-Attention Mechanism For Supervised Learning B Model Parameters C Additional Supervised Experiments D Dependence On Parameters and Ablation Studies E Attention Maps of Learned Transformer Models F Visualization of The Generated CNN Weights G Additional Tables and Figures Abstract and Introduction Abstract and Introduction Problem Setup and Related Work Problem Setup and Related Work HyperTransformer HyperTransformer Experiments Experiments Conclusion and References Conclusion and References A Example of a Self-Attention Mechanism For Supervised Learning A Example of a Self-Attention Mechanism For Supervised Learning B Model Parameters B Model Parameters C Additional Supervised Experiments C Additional Supervised Experiments D Dependence On Parameters and Ablation Studies D Dependence On Parameters and Ablation Studies E Attention Maps of Learned Transformer Models E Attention Maps of Learned Transformer Models F Visualization of The Generated CNN Weights F Visualization of The Generated CNN Weights G Additional Tables and Figures G Additional Tables and Figures B MODEL PARAMETERS Here we provide additional information about the model parameters used in our experiments. Image augmentations and feature extractor parameters. For OMNIGLOT dataset, we used the same image augmentations that were originally proposed in MAML. For MINIIMAGENET and TIEREDIMAGENET datasets, however, we used ImageNet-style image augmentations including horizontal image flipping, random color augmentations and random image cropping. This helped us to avoid model overfitting on the MINIIMAGENET dataset and possibly on TIEREDIMAGENET. Image augmentations and feature extractor parameters. The dimensionality d of the label encoding ξ and weight slice encoding µ was typically set to 32. Increasing d up to the maximum number of weight slices plus the number of per-episode labels, would allow the model to fully disentangle examples for different labels and different weight slices, but can also make the model train slower. Transformer parameters. Since the weight tensors of each layer are generally different, our perlayer transformers were also different. The key, query and value dimensions of the transformer were chosen to be equal to a pre-defined fraction ν of the input embedding size, which in turn was a function of the label embedding and feature dimensionality as well as the size of the weight slices. The inner dimension of the final fully-connected layer in the transformer was also chosen using the same approach. In our MINIIMAGENET and TIEREDIMAGENET experiments, ν was chosen to be 0.5 and in OMNIGLOT experiments, we used ν = 1. Each transformer typically contained 2 or 3 encoder layers and used 2 or 8 heads for OMNIGLOT and MINIIMAGENET, TIEREDIMAGENET, correspondingly. Transformer parameters. Learning schedule. In all our experiments, we used gradient descent optimizer with a learning rate in the 0.01 to 0.02 range. Our early experiments with more advanced optimizers were unstable. We used a learning rate decay schedule, in which we reduced the learning rate by a factor of 0.95 every 105 learning steps. Learning schedule.

HyperTransformer: B Model Parameters

Philosophical Maxims. Morals. Polemics and Speculations

The notes on Sculpture

More Beetles by Jean-Henri Fabre, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . THE BEADED TROX CHAPTER III. THE BEADED TROX The Fly has deserved well of hygiene. The first to come to the dead Mole, she left behind her a garrison of scavengers which, without dissecting-instruments, whether lancets or scalpels, set to work upon the corpse. The most urgent matter was to sterilize the carcase, to extract from it such substances as are readily corrupted, the source of rapid and dangerous putrescence. And this is what the maggot has been doing. From its pointed mouth, for ever poking and rummaging, it dribbled forth a solvent as effective as any in my laboratory; with this reagent it dissolved the flesh and viscera, or at least reduced them to a thick liquid broth. Gradually the soil is saturated with the fertilizing moisture, which the plant will soon restore to the laboratory of living chemistry. When her mission is completed, the Fly herself becomes a danger, because of her excessive numbers. In order to perform their pressing task more quickly, the maggots operate in legions. If not checked, they would encumber the world. The balance of things in general demands their disappearance. Then, in due season, the exterminator arrives, the Saprinus doting on fat sausages, the slow-trotting Beetle in black armour who massacres the vermin and leaves only enough survivors to maintain the race. The Mole is now a dried-up mummy, but is harmful if affected by moisture. This remnant also has to disappear. The Dermestes is entrusted with the task. She establishes herself beneath the remains in company with the Silpha, her collaborator. With her patient tooth she files, rasps and disarticulates as long as a scrap of cartilage is left to gnaw. She is greatly assisted by her starveling larvæ, who are lither in the back and therefore able to slip into narrow crevices. By the time the Dermestes has finished, my pans contain so many heaps of bones, a conglomeration of Snakes’ vertebræ arranged in a row, Moles’ jaws, with their fine, insectivorous teeth, Frogs’ toe-and-finger-joints, radiating like knotty sticks, Rabbits’ skulls overlapping their powerful incisors, all white and clean enough to arouse the envy of the people who prepare our anatomical specimens. Yes, working one on the soft parts and then the other on the hard, the maggot and the Dermestes have performed a meritorious task. There is no longer any pestilential filth, any dangerous effluvia. The residue, mostly of a chalky nature, if it still offends the eye, is at least capable of vitiating the air, the first aliment of life. General hygiene is satisfied. Besides his bones, the Mole has left the tatters of his fur; the Snake has been flayed in tatters like the skin which boiling water strips from a fleshy root. The Fly’s solvent was powerless to affect these refractory substances; the Dermestes refused them. Will these epidermic shreds remain unutilized? Certainly not. Nature, the sublime economist, takes good care that all things return to the treasury of her works. Not an atom must be allowed to go astray. Others will come, frugal and patient pickers-up of unconsidered trifles, and will garner the Mole’s fur, hair by hair, to cover themselves, to clothe themselves with it; there will be some, we may be sure, that will feast upon the Snake’s cast scales. These are the Tineæ, the humble caterpillars of no less humble Moths. Everything suits them in the way of animal clothing: bristles, hair, scales, horn, fur, feather; but for their labours they need darkness and repose. In the sunshine and bustle of the open air they refuse the relics in my pans; they wait until a gust of wind sweeps the charnel-pits and carries the Mole’s velvety down or the reptile’s parchment into a shady corner. Then, infallibly, the cast-off garments of the dead will disappear. As for the bones, the atmospheric agencies, having plenty of time, will crumble and disintegrate them in good time. If I wish to hasten the end of the epidermic remains disdained by the Dermestes, I have only to keep them in a dry place, in the dark. Before long the Moth will come to exploit them. They infest my house. I had received the skin of a Rattlesnake from Guiana. The horrible specimen, rolled into a bundle, reached me intact, with its poison-fangs, the mere sight of which makes one shudder, and its alarm of rattling rings. In the Carib country it had been steeped in a poison which should have ensured its preservation for an indefinite length of time. A useless precaution: the Moths have invaded the thing; they are gnawing at the Rattlesnake’s skin and find the unusual dish, here eaten for the first time, excellent. More familiar victuals, such as the skin of our native Snake, tanned by the maggots and the sun, would be exploited with even greater enthusiasm. And any relics of what has once lived are visited by specialists who come hurrying up to work upon dead matter and restore it to circulation under new forms. Among them are some whose peculiar specialty shows us with what scrupulous economy the waste material of life is utilized. Such is the Beaded Trox (T. perlatus, Scriba), a humble Beetle, no larger than a cherry-stone at most, black all over and decorated on the wing-cases with rows of protuberances which have earned it the epithet of beaded. Not to know the Trox is quite excusable, for the insect has never been much talked about. It is an obscure creature, overlooked by the historian. When impaled in a collector’s box, it ranks close to the Dung-Beetles, just after the Geotrupes. Its mean and earthy attire denotes a digger. But what precisely is its calling? Like many others, I did not know, when an accidental discovery enlightened me and taught me that the beaded insect deserves something better than a mere compartment in the collector’s necropolis. 1 February was drawing to a close. The weather was mild and the sun warm. We had gone off in a family party, with the children’s lunch, an apple and a chunk of bread, in the basket, to see the almond trees in bloom. When lunch-time came, we were resting under some great oaks, when Anna, the youngest of the household, always on the watch for “beasties” with her six-year-old eyes, called to me from a distance of a few yards: “A beastie!” she cried. “Two, three, four of them! And such pretty ones! Come and look, papa, come and look!” I ran up to her. The child had dug into the sand, to no great depth, with a bit of stick, and was breaking up a sort of rag of fur. I produced my pocket trowel and joined her in the task; and in a moment I possessed a dozen Trox-beetles, most of whom I found in a filthy tangle of fur and broken bones. They were working away at it and apparently feeding on it. I had disturbed them at their banquet. What could this mess be? That was the fundamental question to be solved. Brillat-Savarin declared as an axiom: 2 “Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are.” If I wish to know the Trox, I must first enquire what she eats. Reader, pity the sorrows of the naturalist! Behold me scrutinizing, meditating, conjecturing, my mind set in a whirl by an unspeakable problem, a stercoral problem. Whom am I to hold responsible for this fibrous lump, in which I seem to distinguish Rabbit’s fur as the chief ingredient? The probabilities point to the dog. Rabbits abound on the Sérignan hills; they even enjoy a certain reputation among our epicures. The village sportsmen hunt them assiduously; and their Dogs, those poachers heedless of licences and of the police, do not fail to harry them on their own account, at all seasons, close or open. Two of them are known to me by report: Mirate and Flambard. They meet by appointment of a morning in the market-place, exchange an inquisitive glance, inspect each other with the three regulation turns, lift a leg against the wall … and off they go! For the best part of the morning you can hear them on the neighbouring hill-sides, giving vent to short, sharp yelps, close on the heels of a Rabbit who scampers from thicket to thicket, with his little white scut in the air. At last they return home: the result of the expedition may be read on their bloody chaps: the Rabbit was eaten on the spot, just as it was, skin and all. Does this really explain the substance on which my Trox-beetles were living? It seems to me that it does. Henceforth it would appear an easy matter to rear them. I install the insects in a large earthenware pan with a bed of sand and a wire-gauze cover. The provisions consist of Dog-droppings, dried on the road-mender’s stone-heaps beside the highway. My menagerie absolutely refuse to look at them. I have made a mistake. Then what does it want? It is under hairy ordure that I find the insect, always there and never any elsewhere. Rarely does a lump of this rough felt fail to conceal a few of them. Under their tight-fitting wing-cases, they have only quite rudimentary wings, unsuited to flight. These short-legged creatures hasten to the titbit and gather about it on foot. They come from afar, from all points of the compass, guided by the scent. Once more, what is the origin of this felt, which has a strong enough stench in the fresh state to attract its consumers from such a distance? At last I have my answer. Investigations patiently pursued on the slopes of the hills, above all near the farms, furnish me with a decisive piece of evidence. This is a mass of filth, full of fur and Trox-beetles, like the others, but this time a regular nugget, all glittering with wing-cases of the Golden Carabus. Eureka! Never did Dog, even though starving, feed on Beetles, least of all on acrid Carabi. Only the Fox, in time of dearth, accepts such food, in the absence of anything better. Later on he makes up for it with Rabbits, slaughtering them by night, when his rivals, Mirate and Flambard, are resting from their labours. 3 The fur from which the Fox’s stomach can derive no benefit has its votaries. In the natural state, as it grows on the skins which provide the hat-maker with felt, it suits the Moth; unsuccessfully worked by the carnivore’s intestine and seasoned with fæcal matter, it delights the Beaded Trox. There are all sorts of tastes in this world, so that nothing may be lost. The menagerie under the wire-gauze dome, when supplied with the requisite diet of Rabbit’s fur pickled by an attempt at digestion, fares very well. Moreover, the food is collected without difficulty. The Fox is only too common in my neighbourhood. I can easily find his furry excreta on the tangled paths which he frequents at night when going his round of the farms. My Trox-beetles have plenty to eat. Not endowed with a nomadic temperament and abundantly provided for, they seem very well satisfied with the arrangements made on their behalf. By day, they remain on the heap of victuals; feeding at leisure, without moving. If I approach the wire-gauze cover, they instantly drop down; then, recovering from their excitement, they hide under the heap. There is nothing striking in the habits of these pacific creatures, unless it be the pairing, which drags on for two months, frequently broken off, frequently resumed, often a passing fancy. It is never finished. At the end of April I proceed to search under the heap of provisions. The eggs are distributed very near the surface in the moist sand, singly, without cells or any preparation by the mother. They are white and globular, about the size of small birdshot. I find that they are very bulky in comparison with the size of the insect. Their number is not great. Ten at most is the allowance for one mother, as far as I can judge. The larvæ soon appear and develop rather quickly. They are naked, cylindrical grubs, dull white, curved into a hook like the Dung-beetles’, but without the knapsack in which the latter reserve the cement for plastering the interior of the emptied loaf and preserving the victuals from desiccation. The head is powerful and glossy black; there is a brown streak on either side of the first thoracic segment; the legs and mandibles are strongly made. Classed close beside the Dung-eaters, the Trox-beetles form a genus of boorish habits, far removed from the domestic fondness of the Scarabæus, the Copris and the others. With them there are no longer provisions stored away beforehand, no rations kneaded for the larva’s benefit. The least industrious of the Dung-beetles, the Onthophagi, for example, pack into the bottom of a pit a short sausage, selected from the best part of the exploited heap; in the dish thus provided they contrive a hatching-chamber, in which the egg is daintily lodged. Thanks to the mother’s care, often, also, to the father’s, the new-born grub finds itself provided with all it could wish. It is a privileged creature, spared the asperities of life. 4 5 The Trox, on the other hand, has a harsh and pitiless training. The grub has to find board and lodging at its own cost and peril, a serious question even for a consumer of Fox-dung. The mother scatters her eggs under the furry ordure. Her foresight in the interest of her young goes no further. The cake that nourishes her will feed her family likewise. It is large and will be enough for all. In order to follow the first actions of the grubs, I set apart a few eggs, singly, in a glass tube. At the bottom is a column of moist sand; above this is a store of food taken from that part of the Vulpine excrement which is richest in Rabbit’s fur. Hatched by day, the grub at first attends to its lodging. It digs, hollowing itself a retreat in the sand, a short, vertical shaft into which a few scraps of the fostering felt are dragged afterwards. As and when the provisions are consumed, the grub returns to the surface to collect more. The manœuvres of the grubs in the chief establishment, the earthenware pan with the wire-gauze cover, begin and are continued in the same fashion. Under cover of the heap exploited in common, the larvæ have dug themselves a vertical shaft apiece, the length of a man’s finger and the diameter of a thick pencil. At the bottom of the dwelling there is no mass of victuals stored up in advance, such as the abundance on the surface would permit. Instead of hoarding, the Trox-larvæ live from day to day, I surprise them, above all in the evening, discreetly climbing to the top, scraping the heap above their pit, collecting a shaggy armful and immediately climbing down again tail foremost. They do not reappear so long as the little bale of fur holds out. When their provisions are finished and their appetite returns, they make a fresh ascent and a fresh collection. This frequent coming and going in the shaft threatens sooner or later to bring down the sandy wall. Here we see renewed the industry of the Geotrupes couples, who have a way of plastering the wall of their pit with dung in order to avoid its collapsing while the material of the huge sausage is being amassed on repeated journeys; only, with the Trox, it is the larva itself that undertakes the work of consolidation. From end to end it lines its gallery with the same felt on which it feeds. In three or four weeks’ time, all the hairy materials of the heap have disappeared underground, dragged by the larvæ to the bottom of their burrows. On the surface of the soil nothing is left except the remains of the bones. The adults have gone to earth and are dead or dying. Their time is over. I obtain the first nymphs at midsummer. A glass receptacle shows them to me slowly turning round and round and polishing with their backs the earthy wall of their cell, a simple, oval cavity. By the middle of July the perfect insect has matured. Not yet defiled by the dirt of its calling, it is really magnificent in its ebony cuirass, its strings of large beads surmounted by white hairs, its hinder and middle tarsi shod with bright red. It comes up to the surface, finds the Fox’s dejecta, settles down and from now onward is a filthy scavenger. Once torpid in the sand, under the heap of ordure which serves it as a roof, it will pass the winter there and resume its labours in the spring. When all is said, the Trox is a somewhat uninteresting insect. One single point in her history deserves to be remembered, namely, her predilection for what the Fox’s stomach has refused. I know another instance of these peculiar tastes. The Owl, when he has caught a Field-mouse, stuns her with a blow of his beak on the back of the neck and swallows her whole. It is for the digestive pouch to bone and skin her and sift the bad from the good. When the selection is made—as it is, most admirably—the bird, with a shrug of its body, gets rid of the indigestible stuff; it vomits a pellet of bones and fur. Now, just like the furry mass evacuated by the Fox, these balls of filth have their votaries. I have just seen one of them at work. This is the Choleva tristis, Panz., a dwarf related to the family of the Silphæ. Is the fur of a Rabbit or a Field-mouse such a very precious thing, then, that it has special exploiters appointed to work at it again after the Fox’s intestine and the Owl’s crop have been unable to break it up and use it? Yes, this fur has a certain value. Nature’s treasury claims it for fresh purposes with such an imperious voice that our own industries, which in their fashion are endowed with a terrific power, of digestion, cannot guarantee us the protracted possession of what was a scrap of fluff. Cloth comes from the Sheep. It has been worked up by the teeth of machinery at the spinner’s and the weaver’s; it has been steeped in chemicals at the dyer’s; it has passed through worse ordeals than an attempt to digest it. Is it now safe from attack? No: the Moth vie with us for its possession. Poor swallow-tail coat of mine, of supple broadcloth, companion of my drudgery and witness of my poverty, I abandon you without regret for the peasant’s jacket; you are reposing in a drawer, with a few bags of camphorated lavender; the housewife keeps an eye on you and shakes you from time to time. Useless pains! You will perish by the Clothes-moths, as the Mole perished by the maggot, the Snake by the Dermestes and we ourselves by.… Let us not dig that last pit of all before the hour has struck. Everything must return to the renovating crucible into which death is continually pouring materials to ensure the continual blossoming of life. 6 About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Jean-Henri Fabre (2022). More Beetles. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/67201/pg67201-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org , located at https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html .

THE BEADED TROX

Social Life in the Insect World by Jean-Henri Fabre, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . THE FABLE OF THE CIGALE AND THE ANT CHAPTER I. THE FABLE OF THE CIGALE AND THE ANT Fame is the daughter of Legend. In the world of creatures, as in the world of men, the story precedes and outlives history. There are many instances of the fact that if an insect attract our attention for this reason or that, it is given a place in those legends of the people whose last care is truth. For example, who is there that does not, at least by hearsay, know the Cigale? Where in the entomological world shall we find a more famous reputation? Her fame as an impassioned singer, careless of the future, was the subject of our earliest lessons in repetition. In short, easily remembered lines of verse, we learned how she was destitute when the winter winds arrived, and how she went begging for food to the Ant, her neighbour. A poor welcome she received, the would-be borrower!—a welcome that has become proverbial, and her chief title to celebrity. The petty malice of the two short lines— Vous chantiez! j'en suis bien aise, Eh bien, dansez maintenant! DURING THE DROUGHTS OF SUMMER THIRSTING INSECTS, AND NOTABLY THE ANT, FLOCK TO THE DRINKING-PLACES OF THE CIGALE. As we see, reality completely reverses the action described by the fable. The shameless beggar, who does not hesitate at theft, is the Ant; the industrious worker, willingly sharing her goods with the suffering, is the Cigale. Yet another detail, and the reversal of the fable is further emphasised. After five or six weeks of gaiety, the songstress falls from the tree, exhausted by the fever of life. The sun shrivels her body; the feet of the passers-by crush it. A bandit always in search of booty, the Ant discovers the remains. She divides the rich find, dissects it, and cuts it up into tiny fragments, which go to swell her stock of provisions. It is not uncommon to see a dying Cigale, whose wings are still trembling in the dust, drawn and quartered by a gang of knackers. Her body is black with them. After this instance of cannibalism the truth of the relations between the two insects is obvious. Antiquity held the Cigale in high esteem. The Greek Béranger, Anacreon, devoted an ode to her, in which his praise of her is singularly exaggerated. "Thou art almost like unto the Gods," he says. The reasons which he has given for this apotheosis are none of the best. They consist in these three privileges: γηγενἡϛ, ἁπαθἡϛ, ἁναιμὁσαρκε; born of the earth, insensible to pain, bloodless. We will not reproach the poet for these mistakes; they were then generally believed, and were perpetuated long afterwards, until the exploring eye of scientific observation was directed upon them. And in minor poetry, whose principal merit lies in rhythm and harmony, we must not look at things too closely. Even in our days, the Provençal poets, who know the Cigale as Anacreon never did, are scarcely more careful of the truth in celebrating the insect which they have taken for their emblem. A friend of mine, an eager observer and a scrupulous realist, does not deserve this reproach. He gives me permission to take from his pigeon-holes the following Provençal poem, in which the relations between the Cigale and the Ant are expounded with all the rigour of science. I leave to him the responsibility for his poetic images and his moral reflections, blossoms unknown to my naturalist's garden; but I can swear to the truth of all he says, for it corresponds with what I see each summer on the lilac-trees of my garden. LA CIGALO E LA FOURNIGO. I. Jour de Dièu, queto caud! Bèu tèms pèr la Cigalo, Que, trefoulido, se regalo D'uno raisso de fio; bèu tèms per la meissoun. Dins lis erso d'or, lou segaire, Ren plega, pitre au vent, rustico e canto gaire; Dins soun gousiè, la set estranglo la cansoun. Tèms benesi pèr tu. Dounc, ardit! cigaleto, Fai-lei brusi, ti chimbaleto, E brandusso lou ventre à creba ti mirau. L'Ome enterin mando le daio, Que vai balin-balan de longo e que dardaio L'ulau de soun acié sus li rous espigau. Plèn d'aigo pèr la péiro e tampouna d'erbiho Lou coufié sus l'anco pendiho. Si la péiro es au frès dins soun estui de bos, E se de longo es abèurado, L'Ome barbelo au fio d'aqueli souleiado Que fan bouli de fes la mesoulo dis os. Tu, Cigalo, as un biais pèr la set: dins la rusco Tendro e jutouso d'uno busco, L'aguio de toun bè cabusso e cavo un pous. Lou siro monto pèr la draio. T'amourres à la fon melicouso que raio, E dou sourgènt sucra bèves lou teta-dous. Mai pas toujour en pas. Oh! que nàni; de laire, Vesin, vesino o barrulaire, T'an vist cava lou pous. An set; vènon, doulènt, Te prène un degout pèr si tasso. Mesfiso-te, ma bello: aqueli curo-biasso, Umble d'abord, soun lèu de gusas insoulènt. Quiston un chicouloun di rèn, pièi de ti resto Soun plus countènt, ausson la testo E volon tout: L'auran. Sis arpioun en rastèu Te gatihoun lou bout de l'alo. Sus tu larjo esquinasso es un mounto-davalo; T'aganton pèr lou bè, li bano, lis artèu; Tiron d'eici, d'eilà. L'impaciènci te gagno. Pst! pst! d'un giscle de pissagno Aspèrges l'assemblado e quites lou ramèu. T'en vas bèn liuen de la racaio, Que t'a rauba lou pous, e ris, e se gougaio, E se lipo li brego enviscado de mèu. Or d'aqueli boumian abèura sens fatigo, Lou mai tihous es la fournigo. Mousco, cabrian, guespo e tavan embana, Espeloufi de touto meno, Costo-en-long qu'à toun pous lou soulcias ameno, N'an pas soun testardige à te faire enana. Pèr l'esquicha l'artèu, te coutiga lou mourre, Te pessuga lou nas, pèr courre A l'oumbro du toun ventre, osco! degun la vau. Lou marrit-pèu prend pèr escalo Uno patto e te monto, ardido, sus lis alo, E s'espasso, insoulènto, e vai d'amont, d'avau. II. Aro veici qu'es pas de crèire. Ancian tèms, nous dison li rèire, Un jour d'ivèr; la fam te prenguè. Lou front bas E d'escoundoun anères vèire, Dins si grand magasin, la fournigo, eilàbas. L'endrudido au soulèu secavo, Avans de lis escoundre en cavo, Si blad qu'aviè mousi l'eigagno de la niue. Quand èron lest lis ensacavo. Tu survènes alor, emé de plour is iue. Iè disés: "Fai bèn fre; l'aurasso D'un caire à l'autre me tirasso Avanido de fam. A toun riche mouloun Leisso-me prène pèr ma biasso. Te lou rendrai segur au bèu tèms di meloun. "Presto-me un pan de gran." Mai, bouto, Se cresès que l'autro t'escouto, T'enganes. Di gros sa, rèn de rèn sara tièu. "Vai-t'en plus liuen rascla de bouto; Crebo de fam l'ivèr, tu que cantes l'estièu." Ansin charro la fablo antico Pèr nous counséia la pratico Di sarro-piastro, urous de nousa li cordoun De si bourso.—Que la coulico Rousiguè la tripaio en aqueli coudoun! Me fai susa, lou fabulisto, Quand dis que l'ivèr vas en quisto De mousco, verme, gran, tu que manges jamai. De blad! Que n'en fariès, ma fisto! As ta fon melicouso e demandes rèn mai. Que t'enchau l'ivèr! Ta famiho A la sousto en terro soumiho, Et tu dormes la som que n'a ges de revèi; Toun cadabre toumbo en douliho. Un jour, en tafurant, la fournigo lou véi, De tu magro péu dessecado La marriasso fai becado; Te curo lou perus, te chapouto à moucèu, T'encafourno pèr car-salado, Requisto prouvisioun, l'ivèr, en tèms de neu. III. Vaqui l'istori veritablo Bèn liuen dôu conte de la fablo. Que n'en pensas, canèu de sort! —O rammaissaire de dardeno Det croucu, boumbudo bedeno Que gouvernas lou mounde emé lou coffre-fort, Fasès courre lou bru, canaio, Que l'artisto jamai travaio E dèu pati, lou bedigas. Teisas-vous dounc: quand di lambrusco La Cigalo a cava la rusco, Raubas soun bèure, e pièi, morto, la rousigas. So speaks my friend in the expressive Provençal idiom, rehabilitating the creature so libelled by the fabulist. Translated with a little necessary freedom, the English of it is as follows:— I. Fine weather for the Cigale! God, what heat! Half drunken with her joy, she feasts In a hail of fire. Pays for the harvest meet; A golden sea the reaper breasts, Loins bent, throat bare; silent, he labours long, For thirst within his throat has stilled the song. A blessed time for thee, little Cigale. Thy little cymbals shake and sound, Shake, shake thy stomach till thy mirrors fall! Man meanwhile swings his scythe around; Continually back and forth it veers, Flashing its steel amidst the ruddy ears. Grass-plugged, with water for the grinder full, A flask is hung upon his hip; The stone within its wooden trough is cool, Free all the day to sip and sip; But man is gasping in the fiery sun, That makes his very marrow melt and run. Thou, Cigale, hast a cure for thirst: the bark, Tender and juicy, of the bough. Thy beak, a very needle, stabs it. Mark The narrow passage welling now; The sugared stream is flowing, thee beside, Who drinkest of the flood, the honeyed tide. Not in peace always; nay, for thieves arrive, Neighbours and wives, or wanderers vile; They saw thee sink the well, and ill they thrive Thirsting; they seek to drink awhile; Beauty, beware! the wallet-snatcher's face, Humble at first, grows insolent apace. They seek the merest drop; thy leavings take; Soon discontent, their heads they toss; They crave for all, and all will have. They rake Their claws thy folded wings across; Thy back a mountain, up and down each goes; They seize thee by the beak, the horns, the toes. This way and that they pull. Impatient thou: Pst! Pst! a jet of nauseous taste O'er the assembly sprinklest. Leave the bough And fly the rascals thus disgraced, Who stole thy well, and with malicious pleasure Now lick their honey'd lips, and feed at leisure. See these Bohemians without labour fed! The ant the worst of all the crew— Fly, drone, wasp, beetle too with horned head, All of them sharpers thro' and thro', Idlers the sun drew to thy well apace— None more than she was eager for thy place, More apt thy face to tickle, toe to tread, Or nose to pinch, and then to run Under the shade thine ample belly spread; Or climb thy leg for ladder; sun Herself audacious on thy wings, and go Most insolently o'er thee to and fro. II. Now comes a tale that no one should believe. In other times, the ancients say, The winter came, and hunger made thee grieve. Thou didst in secret see one day The ant below the ground her treasure store away. The wealthy ant was drying in the sun Her corn the dew had wet by night, Ere storing it again; and one by one She filled her sacks as it dried aright. Thou camest then, and tears bedimmed thy sight, Saying: "'Tis very cold; the bitter bise Blows me this way and that to-day. I die of hunger. Of your riches please Fill me my bag, and I'll repay, When summer and its melons come this way. "Lend me a little corn." Go to, go to! Think you the ant will lend an ear? You are deceived. Great sacks, but nought for you! "Be off, and scrape some barrel clear! You sing of summer: starve, for winter's here!" 'Tis thus the ancient fable sings To teach us all the prudence ripe Of farthing-snatchers, glad to knot the string That tie their purses. May the gripe Of colic twist the guts of all such tripe! He angers me, this fable-teller does, Saying in winter thou dost seek Flies, grubs, corn—thou dost never eat like us! —Corn! Couldst thou eat it, with thy beak? Thou hast thy fountain with its honey'd reek. To thee what matters winter? Underground Slumber thy children, sheltered; thou The sleep that knows no waking sleepest sound. Thy body, fallen from the bough, Crumbles; the questing ant has found thee now. The wicked ant of thy poor withered hide A banquet makes; in little bits She cuts thee up, and empties thine inside, And stores thee where in wealth she sits: Choice diet when the winter numbs the wits. III. Here is the tale related duly, And little resembling the fable, truly! Hoarders of farthings, I know, deuce take it. It isn't the story as you would make it! Crook-fingers, big-bellies, what do you say, Who govern the world with the cash-box—hey? You have spread the story, with shrug and smirk, That the artist ne'er does a stroke of work; And so let him suffer, the imbecile! Be you silent! 'Tis you, I think, When the Cigale pierces the vine to drink, Drive her away, her drink to steal; And when she is dead—you make your meal! About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Jean-Henri Fabre (2006). Social Life in the Insect World. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/18350/pg18350-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org , located at https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html .

THE FABLE OF THE CIGALE AND THE ANT

What is Decentralized Science (DeSci)?

বিকেন্দ্রীভূত বিজ্ঞান (DeSci) কি?

Was ist dezentrale Wissenschaft (DeSci)?

¿Qué es la Ciencia Descentralizada (DeSci)?

Qu'est-ce que la science décentralisée (DeSci) ?

विकेंद्रीकृत विज्ञान (DeSci) क्या है?

分散型科学 (DeSci) とは?

분산 과학(DeSci)이란 무엇입니까?

O que é Ciência Descentralizada (DeSci)?

Merkezi Olmayan Bilim (DeSci) Nedir?

Khoa học phi tập trung (DeSci) là gì?

什么是去中心化科学 (DeSci)？

Advice for First Time Founders, By Y Combinator

Innovation for a more accessible, simpler, and faster government. Today more than ever, entrepreneurs, innovators, and the tech community are having an important impact on how government works and thinks. It is about applying Silicon Valley models and best practices to a world that too often finds itself stuck in the murky waters of bureaucracy. The United States is not the only government that has invested in technology and innovation to make services more citizen-centric, more user-friendly, faster, and with a digital-first focus. The United Kingdom was probably the first to focus on an innovative digital government platform, with the creation of the UK Government Digital Service, within the Cabinet Office. It all started in 2011 with a new, single UK government website — then alpha.gov.uk and now gov.uk — “using open, agile, multi-disciplinary product development techniques and technologies, shaped by an obsession with meeting user needs,” as their mission stated. The prototype was developed in 12 weeks for around $400,000. In a at Google Zeitgeist to present the prototype, then UK Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, highlighted how the digital age and the incredible disruptive impact of the internet do not represent a threat for government, but rather an opportunity. keynote speech Look at almost any big social change of the past 200 years and you will see that it has been driven by a paradigm shift in communication technology. Newspapers. Radio. Telephony. Television. And now — most dramatically of all — the internet. As we all know, virtually every walk of life is being affected in some way by the internet and new technology. The prototype was in fact what tech startups call MVP, or minimal viable product. Since then, 25 ministerial departments and 374 government agencies have joined and merged into gov.uk with services that range from passports to opening a business and renewing your driver’s license. Progress reports run quarterly and the transparency layers have been added to all services, including performance dashboards, completion rates, and user satisfaction. Following the many successes of the digital government experiment in the UK, in May 2014, the United States launched 18F, an office inside the General Services Administration (GSA) to help other federal agencies build, buy, and share efficient and easy-to-use digital services. 18F — the name is the address of the agency’s headquarters in Washington DC — is often linked to the Presidential Innovation Fellowship (PIF) program, launched in 2012 by President and created by then US Chief Technology Officer together with colleagues , , and John Paul Farmer. Barack Obama Todd Park Steven VanRoekel Peter L. Levin And while PIF started as an experiment to bring entrepreneurs, executives, technologists, designers and other innovators into government, and team them up with federal employees and agencies to improve government services, it became a permanent program in 2014. Shortly after the formation of 18F, and under the guidance of a few Presidential Innovation Fellows, President Obama launched (USDS). Like the PIF program and 18F, one of the strategic aims is to “bring best-of-class, private-sector engineers into government for time-limited tours of duty,” and task them with bringing a modern perspective to key technology initiatives. The U.S. Digital Service But while 18F provides the team that is dispatched to agencies to fix services and digital platforms, USDS — which is strategically housed within the Office of the President — provides the strategy and consulting services on how to move forward. And both operates as tech startups within the federal government. Speaking at TED , co-founder and deputy administrator of USDS, described how government’s failure to deliver digital services that work is disproportionately impacting the very people who need it most. Haley van dyck Let me paint the picture for you. The federal government is the largest institution in the world. It spends over 86 billion dollars a year — 86 billion — on federal IT projects. For context, that is more than the entire venture capital industry spends annually on everything. […] We care about making government work better, because it’s the only one we’ve got. This past summer USDS celebrated its second anniversary. In a post on , USDS highlighted how the team is trying to achieve the agency ambitious mission: “to apply best practices in technology and design to improve the usability and reliability of our government’s most important digital services.” Medium Two years later, it all seems (a bit) less daunting. _To be honest, it sounded daunting: building a tech startup, inside of the Federal Government._medium.com Two Years of the U.S. Digital Service In Australia, that same model was implemented a year ago with the founding of the Digital Transformation Office (DTO). Like for USDS in the US and GDS in the UK, the mission is ambitious, as highlighted by , head of DTO. Paul Shetler It’s been a busy 12 months. It hasn’t always been easy. It’s also important to remember that we aren’t doing this alone. We’re working in partnership with departments and agencies across government to get there. _Earlier this month DTO celebrated its first birthday, and what a journey it has been! Our CEO Paul Shetler looks back…_www.dto.gov.au DTO turns one - Our story so far | Digital Transformation Office DTO also works in partnership with government digital teams around the world. Shelter himself, a co-founded two start-ups and with leadership experience at Oracle and Microsoft, also worked at GDS in the UK, and before that at the UK Ministry of Justice. Sharing best practices and ideas between teams in different countries is key for the success of government tech startups. The experiments and experiences at USDS, GDS, and DTO are now part of a new project in Italy where the — (Digital Transformation Team) — was just launched by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. The new team, operating within the Office of the Prime Minister, is headed by , a former executive at Apple and Amazon, and , Innovation Adviser to the Italian Prime Minister. Team Digitale Team per la Trasformazione Digitale Diego Piacentini Paolo Barberis _Digital innovation for citizens and for the development of the country_medium.com From Seattle to Roma Its mission is to “assist the Government in accelerating the digital transformation of the country and to support the simplification of the relationship between the Public Administration, citizens and business,” as explained by Piacentini in a Medium post. The first task for Italy is to recruit a team of Italian visionaries and innovators from around the world, and Piacentini took to Medium to start. Without an enthusiastic and competent pool of talents, I will not go too far. I, therefore, decided to write my first post addressing those potential candidates directly. It’s an exciting year for all those digital teams, form the US to Italy, and beyond. The expectations are high and so are the stakes for the millions of citizens around the world who deserve better services, more transparent, clearer, and certainly more user-friendly. Startups, whether launched by government or not, have highs and lows. Teams are important: their passion, their vision, and their tech expertise. to all! Buon lavoro

How to build a tech startup inside government

So let’s start! Tell us a bit about yourself. For example, name, profession, and personal interests. Hi👋, I am Darshani Persadh. I don’t know… can I call myself a ‘Quantum Engineer’ now?! I’m the Technical co-founder at a tech startup called DARJYO. Though I qualified as a Software Engineer in ‘05, I still feel like I don’t know what I am doing in this industry - let’s just say the imposter syndrome is strong with this one. My personal interests include: Procaffeinating (n). The tendency to not start anything until I’ve had coffee Watching ARB videos! My relationship with my sister includes the exchange of cat & dog videos, so you & I both know those algorithmic recommendations  of “educational“ reels are coming to a feed near me. 60-second Shorts & Reels created by the Tech Gods had me in mind coz’ I have the attention span of a goldfish; I can go from ‘not finish painting the owl on my wall’ to ‘forget replying to a message coz I read it from the notification tray’. Interesting! What was your latest HackerNoon Top story about? My latest HackerNoon opus was titled Bits to Qubits: Decoding my dive into the IBM Quantum Challenge 2024 Big ups to HackerNoon for keeping the cat videos flowing my side. Do you usually write on similar topics? If not, what do you usually write about? Do I stick to the Quantum lane? 😐ehhhhhh! Mostly, yeah! I am fascinated by the bridge between bleeding-edge tech and real-world applications. Quantum computing, AI, and the ever-shifting Blockchain landscape are my usual haunts. But sometimes, I like to veer off-course and chat about the startup rollercoaster - the highs, the lows, and my questionable life choices. Great! What is your usual writing routine like (if you have one?) Quirky as my viewing preferences are, I’m afraid inspiration strikes - often during those aforementioned blooper sessions. But I am disciplined, so when it does, I lock myself away in a quiet abyss (early mornings or late nights work best). Coffee is my constant companion on these intellectual journeys I tend to reflect on. Being a writer in tech can be a challenge. It’s not often our main role, but an addition to another one. What is the biggest challenge you have when it comes to writing? Oh forget writing, when I speak to normal people, I have to hear “I don’t understand what she just said.“ So, that’s a balancing act on its own. I think the biggest hurdle when engaging is finding that sweet spot between brain-freezing technical details and making them digestible for everyone. Imagine explaining rocket science to a particularly curious squirrel - that’s a Chip & Dale struggle, but hey, it’s a challenge that keeps things interesting. What is the next thing you hope to achieve in your career? There is truly so much to do and discover, & I don’t believe we were given enough time to live on earth and achieve them all. I am pushing quantum computing past the event horizon of theoretical possibilities! I would love to develop a groundbreaking product that uses this mind-bending tech to solve real-world problems in a way no one’s seen before. Bonus points for the Educator in me if I get to mentor the next gen of tech-blazers - while I leave a legacy of footprints along the way. Wow, that’s admirable. Now, something more casual: What is your guilty pleasure of choice? Guilty Pleasure? Do I have to tell you? Fine, besides hip-hop music & eating really good, two things really. Firstly, my dad made me watch The Deer Hunter when I was just 4 (something ‘bout Catch22 life lessons), and the impact of this film deeply remained with me, so I’ve found that I’d much rather watch War, Army, Navy, Marine, Airforce, Military movies. I occasionally indulge in the dystopian Netflix offerings, think American Gods - even better, Altered Carbon. I can disappear into those fictional worlds faster than you can say “needlecast.“ Secondly, as much as I love procrastinating with a good cup of coffee, there’s just magic in a perfectly brewed spicy chai on a rainy day. Do you have a non-tech-related hobby? If yes, what is it? My life beyond binary code; this is contradictory as it gets coz being in tech, I hate my phone with a passion! I’m quite simple. I love deep conversations after trekking up a mountain coz’ peaking is a breath of fresh air. There’s a certain Zen-like calmness that comes from being surrounded by nature, away from the relentless ping of notifications. Again, thanks to my Dad, I have #AfricanWanderlust, so exploring the stunning landscapes around Africa is my go-to travel activity - good for the body and soul. What can the HackerNoon community expect to read from you next? What… You want more of my sparkling Dev experiences? I could talk about insights from case studies I’m working on - or just me, VS Code, and those never-ending side projects I have no idea how I started, but still look like fun. All things tech-related I guess? I mean I speak at least 5 languages; English, Sass, Sarcasm, Truth, and Love I got it from my Mamma. And while the sass flows freely in my brain as I weave it into my writing that’s a whole new experiment and one I wasn’t sure HackerNoon would appreciate. But hey if you can handle my Quantum ramblings, you can handle a little bit of sass, right? If not, it’s ok, coz my sister likes this Beta version of me, anyway! What’s your opinion on HackerNoon as a platform for writers? HackerNoon is a haven for tech enthusiasts and writers alike. I’ve been consuming knowledge from here a lot longer than I’ve been writing. The community is vibrant, the content is top-notch, and the freedom to explore niche topics is like finding a unicorn in the server room. A valuable resource for both writers and readers, that’s for sure. Thanks for taking time to join our “Meet the Writer” series. It was a pleasure. Do you have any closing words? Thanks, I’m having a blast. To all the readers and aspiring writers out here, never stop learning, never stop creating. Tech is an ever-evolving, playground and there’s always something new to learn, so keep exploring & pushing boundaries … coz’ curiosity never did kill that cat😜 So let’s start! Tell us a bit about yourself. For example, name, profession, and personal interests. Hi👋, I am Darshani Persadh. I don’t know… can I call myself a ‘Quantum Engineer’ now?! I’m the Technical co-founder at a tech startup called DARJYO. Though I qualified as a Software Engineer in ‘05, I still feel like I don’t know what I am doing in this industry - let’s just say the imposter syndrome is strong with this one. My personal interests include: Procaffeinating (n). The tendency to not start anything until I’ve had coffee Procaffeinating (n). The tendency to not start anything until I’ve had coffee Watching ARB videos! My relationship with my sister includes the exchange of cat & dog videos, so you & I both know those algorithmic recommendations  of “educational“ reels are coming to a feed near me. Watching ARB videos! 60-second Shorts & Reels created by the Tech Gods had me in mind coz’ I have the attention span of a goldfish; I can go from ‘not finish painting the owl on my wall’ to ‘forget replying to a message coz I read it from the notification tray’. 60-second Interesting! What was your latest HackerNoon Top story about? My latest HackerNoon opus was titled Bits to Qubits: Decoding my dive into the IBM Quantum Challenge 2024 Bits to Qubits: Decoding my dive into the IBM Quantum Challenge 2024 Bits to Qubits: Decoding my dive into the IBM Quantum Challenge 2024 Big ups to HackerNoon for keeping the cat videos flowing my side. Do you usually write on similar topics? If not, what do you usually write about? Do I stick to the Quantum lane? 😐ehhhhhh! Mostly, yeah! I am fascinated by the bridge between bleeding-edge tech and real-world applications. Quantum computing, AI, and the ever-shifting Blockchain landscape are my usual haunts. But sometimes, I like to veer off-course and chat about the startup rollercoaster - the highs, the lows, and my questionable life choices. Great! What is your usual writing routine like (if you have one?) Quirky as my viewing preferences are, I’m afraid inspiration strikes - often during those aforementioned blooper sessions. But I am disciplined, so when it does, I lock myself away in a quiet abyss (early mornings or late nights work best). Coffee is my constant companion on these intellectual journeys I tend to reflect on. Being a writer in tech can be a challenge. It’s not often our main role, but an addition to another one. What is the biggest challenge you have when it comes to writing? Oh forget writing, when I speak to normal people, I have to hear “I don’t understand what she just said.“ speak So, that’s a balancing act on its own. I think the biggest hurdle when engaging is finding that sweet spot between brain-freezing technical details and making them digestible for everyone. Imagine explaining rocket science to a particularly curious squirrel - that’s a Chip & Dale struggle, but hey, it’s a challenge that keeps things interesting. and What is the next thing you hope to achieve in your career? There is truly so much to do and discover, & I don’t believe we were given enough time to live on earth and achieve them all. I am pushing quantum computing past the event horizon of theoretical possibilities! I would love to develop a groundbreaking product that uses this mind-bending tech to solve real-world problems in a way no one’s seen before. Bonus points for the Educator in me if I get to mentor the next gen of tech-blazers - while I leave a legacy of footprints along the way. Wow, that’s admirable. Now, something more casual: What is your guilty pleasure of choice? Guilty Pleasure? Do I have to tell you? Fine, besides hip-hop music & eating really good, two things really. Firstly, my dad made me watch The Deer Hunter when I was just 4 (something ‘bout Catch22 life lessons), and the impact of this film deeply remained with me, so I’ve found that I’d much rather watch War, Army, Navy, Marine, Airforce, Military movies. I occasionally indulge in the dystopian Netflix offerings, think American Gods - even better, Altered Carbon . The Deer Hunter The Deer Hunter (something ‘bout Catch22 life lessons), War, Army, Navy, Marine, Airforce, Military American Gods American Gods Altered Carbon Altered Carbon I can disappear into those fictional worlds faster than you can say “needlecast.“ Secondly, as much as I love procrastinating with a good cup of coffee, there’s just magic in a perfectly brewed spicy chai on a rainy day. Do you have a non-tech-related hobby? If yes, what is it? My life beyond binary code; this is contradictory as it gets coz being in tech, I hate my phone with a passion! this is contradictory as it gets coz being in tech, I hate my phone with a passion! I’m quite simple. I love deep conversations after trekking up a mountain coz’ peaking is a breath of fresh air. There’s a certain Zen-like calmness that comes from being surrounded by nature, away from the relentless ping of notifications. Again, thanks to my Dad, I have #AfricanWanderlust , so exploring the stunning landscapes around Africa is my go-to travel activity - good for the body and soul. #AfricanWanderlust What can the HackerNoon community expect to read from you next? What… You want more of my sparkling Dev experiences? I could talk about insights from case studies I’m working on - or just me, VS Code, and those never-ending side projects I have no idea how I started, but still look like fun. All things tech-related I guess? I mean I speak at least 5 languages; English, Sass, Sarcasm, Truth, and Love I got it from my Mamma. I got it from my Mamma. And while the sass flows freely in my brain as I weave it into my writing that’s a whole new experiment and one I wasn’t sure HackerNoon would appreciate. that’s a whole new experiment But hey if you can handle my Quantum ramblings, you can handle a little bit of sass, right? If not, it’s ok, coz my sister likes this Beta version of me, anyway! What’s your opinion on HackerNoon as a platform for writers? HackerNoon is a haven for tech enthusiasts and writers alike. I’ve been consuming knowledge from here a lot longer than I’ve been writing. The community is vibrant, the content is top-notch, and the freedom to explore niche topics is like finding a unicorn in the server room. A valuable resource for both writers and readers, that’s for sure. Thanks for taking time to join our “ Meet the Writer ” series. It was a pleasure. Do you have any closing words? Meet the Writer Thanks, I’m having a blast. To all the readers and aspiring writers out here, never stop learning, never stop creating. Tech is an ever-evolving, playground and there’s always something new to learn, so keep exploring & pushing boundaries … coz’ curiosity never did kill that cat😜

Meet the Writer: HackerNoon's Contributor Darshani Persadh, Quantum Engineer

Black Friday is nearly here, which means customers will be swarming stores to snag the best deals — and retailers will be bracing for the corresponding boost in thefts. But even aside from the Black Friday bump, theft is a growing problem for many retailers. How could AI reduce the risk? 1. Enabling Automatic Cart Audits Some retailers have employees standing near store exits to check shoppers’ receipts as they leave, verifying that the list of items matches their cart contents. However, this process often becomes cumbersome during busy periods, requiring people to wait in lines. Leaders at Sam’s Club believe AI can do the task faster. As of April 2024, more than 120 locations used AI exit scanning technology, and the overall figure matched executives’ goal of adding AI to 20% of its stores by the end of the first quarter. Sam’s Club represents the largest deployment of such customer-facing technology in the retail industry. Customers who engage with it can leave stores 23% faster, and internal data shows more than 50% of shoppers use it. Notably, before rolling out this solution, Sam’s Club employees got feedback from customers about current pain points and what they wanted from their experiences. Participants mentioned they’d like faster and more convenient shopping trips and consistently brought up the waiting times associated with the previous cart audits as a primary downside.  Now, computer-vision cameras and digital technologies work in the background to check that cart contents match a customer’s payment records. This high-tech approach aligns with the company’s other improvements, such as its Scan & Go offering, which allows people to bypass the traditional checkout process when buying their items. The market value for AI products in retail was approximately $5 billion in 2023, and it’s expected to grow. Decision-makers are even more likely to reap the benefits if they do as Sam’s Club leaders did and gather customer feedback. 2. Curbing Potentially Harmful Employee Preferentiality Most people think of customers as the main people behind retail theft, but workers can exacerbate the problem, too. Sometimes, they might slip small items into their pockets during slow periods, believing no one will notice and they will never get caught. The circumstances can also become more complicated. One example is what some in the retail industry call “sweethearting.” It happens when employees give discounts or free items to friends or relatives. One tech company, Corsight AI, began offering AI technology to detect such interactions. More specifically, it spots unusual behavior by analyzing how close customers stand to employees. Because the tool tracks engagements over time, it can also determine if specific shoppers keep going to the same employee’s cash register or otherwise show a preference. The system flags unusual behaviors to the relevant store decision-makers, letting them decide whether to act. Critics have pointed out that regularly engaging with the same employees when shopping at a store doesn’t necessarily mean anything suspicious. Perhaps a customer appreciates a worker’s friendliness, efficiency or product knowledge, causing them to naturally interact when opportunities arise. However, increasing theft problems have caused some retail leaders to scrutinize things they might have previously ignored. That is particularly true for retailers selling high-value items. For example, jewelry companies’ crime-related losses exceeded $129 million in 2022. These retailers usually have high-tech security systems, but those defenses probably won’t catch occasional instances of store workers offering unusually generous discounts. AI tools might. 3. Providing Better Awareness Although circumstances vary, some potential shoplifters target locations before attempting to steal things. During each visit, they gather information such as the number of workers in the store at particular times, whether certain departments or products have dedicated security measures and the locations of entrances and exits. Someone who goes to a well-staffed store, notices numerous security cameras and sees how employees seem continually aware of their surroundings may decide against proceeding with theft attempt plans. Conversely, stores that seem virtually deserted and feature few or no visible security cameras are much more appealing to would-be thieves. Because AI products can work in the background and detect unusual occurrences, they help loss prevention officers and others become more aware of what happens in individual stores. For example, Everseen creates AI tech that can be used to help reduce self-checkout theft. Part of its approach involves processing footage from ceiling-mounted cameras, often gathering tens of millions of customer interactions daily. Another helpful aspect of the technology is that it can scan shelves to determine when specific products are almost out of stock. Additionally, retail leaders can use this product to get near-real-time analytics about what’s happening in a store and receive prompts about handling certain situations. For example, if the AI spots a frustrated customer, it might prompt a worker to engage with them to learn what’s wrong. Many retailers already use artificial intelligence creatively by incorporating it into their demand-planning processes. For example, automating supply chain activities could reduce costs by as much as 10%, making that goal a worthy pursuit for cost-conscious parties. In any case, improved awareness provided by specialty tech products could help retailers manage theft. 4. Analyzing Shoppers’ Gestures Although many retailers use facial recognition technologies, some consumers dislike the perceived lack of privacy. An AI alternative is potentially less invasive because it does not analyze people’s appearance, but rather whether they make suspicious movements commonly linked to theft. Wild Duck Wine & Spirits in Boston uses an AI product from company Veesion on all 24 of its security camera feeds. The technology checks shoppers’ gestures to see if they match those frequently used during shoplifting. For example, someone might try to conceal something in a clothing pocket. Another “red flag” occurs when people hide items in baby strollers. Finally, people may eat or drink while shopping, potentially consuming what they have not paid for yet. If the AI spots something specific, it alerts workers approximately 15 seconds later, providing a video clip of the event. Those employees can then choose whether to confront the person or see if they try to skip the checkout counter. A representative from the AI company explained that this solution is about more than stopping people from stealing single items. It sends them a message that they should not try to repeat their actions because they’ll get caught. Minimizing Theft in Retail These fascinating examples show how AI can help store managers, loss prevention officers and other responsible parties reduce the frequency of theft in their locations. Choosing the appropriate tools and learning how to use them properly is crucial for success. Black Friday is nearly here, which means customers will be swarming stores to snag the best deals — and retailers will be bracing for the corresponding boost in thefts. But even aside from the Black Friday bump, theft is a growing problem for many retailers. How could AI reduce the risk? Black Friday is nearly here, which means customers will be swarming stores to snag the best deals — and retailers will be bracing for the corresponding boost in thefts. But even aside from the Black Friday bump, theft is a growing problem for many retailers. How could AI reduce the risk? 1. Enabling Automatic Cart Audits 1. Enabling Automatic Cart Audits Some retailers have employees standing near store exits to check shoppers’ receipts as they leave, verifying that the list of items matches their cart contents. However, this process often becomes cumbersome during busy periods, requiring people to wait in lines. Leaders at Sam’s Club believe AI can do the task faster. As of April 2024, more than 120 locations used AI exit scanning technology, and the overall figure matched executives’ goal of adding AI to 20% of its stores by the end of the first quarter. Sam’s Club represents the largest deployment of such customer-facing technology in the retail industry. Customers who engage with it can leave stores 23% faster , and internal data shows more than 50% of shoppers use it. Notably, before rolling out this solution, Sam’s Club employees got feedback from customers about current pain points and what they wanted from their experiences. leave stores 23% faster leave stores 23% faster Participants mentioned they’d like faster and more convenient shopping trips and consistently brought up the waiting times associated with the previous cart audits as a primary downside.  Now, computer-vision cameras and digital technologies work in the background to check that cart contents match a customer’s payment records. This high-tech approach aligns with the company’s other improvements, such as its Scan & Go offering, which allows people to bypass the traditional checkout process when buying their items. The market value for AI products in retail was approximately $5 billion in 2023 , and it’s expected to grow. Decision-makers are even more likely to reap the benefits if they do as Sam’s Club leaders did and gather customer feedback. approximately $5 billion in 2023 approximately $5 billion in 2023 2. Curbing Potentially Harmful Employee Preferentiality Most people think of customers as the main people behind retail theft, but workers can exacerbate the problem, too. Sometimes, they might slip small items into their pockets during slow periods, believing no one will notice and they will never get caught. The circumstances can also become more complicated. One example is what some in the retail industry call “sweethearting.” It happens when employees give discounts or free items to friends or relatives. One tech company, Corsight AI, began offering AI technology to detect such interactions. More specifically, it spots unusual behavior by analyzing how close customers stand to employees. Because the tool tracks engagements over time, it can also determine if specific shoppers keep going to the same employee’s cash register or otherwise show a preference. The system flags unusual behaviors to the relevant store decision-makers, letting them decide whether to act. spots unusual behavior spots unusual behavior Critics have pointed out that regularly engaging with the same employees when shopping at a store doesn’t necessarily mean anything suspicious. Perhaps a customer appreciates a worker’s friendliness, efficiency or product knowledge, causing them to naturally interact when opportunities arise. However, increasing theft problems have caused some retail leaders to scrutinize things they might have previously ignored. That is particularly true for retailers selling high-value items. For example, jewelry companies’ crime-related losses exceeded $129 million in 2022. These retailers usually have high-tech security systems, but those defenses probably won’t catch occasional instances of store workers offering unusually generous discounts. AI tools might. 3. Providing Better Awareness Although circumstances vary, some potential shoplifters target locations before attempting to steal things. During each visit, they gather information such as the number of workers in the store at particular times, whether certain departments or products have dedicated security measures and the locations of entrances and exits. Someone who goes to a well-staffed store, notices numerous security cameras and sees how employees seem continually aware of their surroundings may decide against proceeding with theft attempt plans. Conversely, stores that seem virtually deserted and feature few or no visible security cameras are much more appealing to would-be thieves. Because AI products can work in the background and detect unusual occurrences, they help loss prevention officers and others become more aware of what happens in individual stores. For example, Everseen creates AI tech that can be used to help reduce self-checkout theft. Part of its approach involves processing footage from ceiling-mounted cameras, often gathering tens of millions of customer interactions daily. Another helpful aspect of the technology is that it can scan shelves to determine when specific products are almost out of stock. Additionally, retail leaders can use this product to get near-real-time analytics about what’s happening in a store and receive prompts about handling certain situations. For example, if the AI spots a frustrated customer, it might prompt a worker to engage with them to learn what’s wrong. Many retailers already use artificial intelligence creatively by incorporating it into their demand-planning processes. For example, automating supply chain activities could reduce costs by as much as 10% , making that goal a worthy pursuit for cost-conscious parties. In any case, improved awareness provided by specialty tech products could help retailers manage theft. by as much as 10% by as much as 10% 4. Analyzing Shoppers’ Gestures Although many retailers use facial recognition technologies, some consumers dislike the perceived lack of privacy. An AI alternative is potentially less invasive because it does not analyze people’s appearance, but rather whether they make suspicious movements commonly linked to theft. Wild Duck Wine & Spirits in Boston uses an AI product from company Veesion on all 24 of its security camera feeds. The technology checks shoppers’ gestures to see if they match those frequently used during shoplifting. For example, someone might try to conceal something in a clothing pocket. Another “red flag” occurs when people hide items in baby strollers. Finally, people may eat or drink while shopping, potentially consuming what they have not paid for yet. If the AI spots something specific, it alerts workers approximately 15 seconds later , providing a video clip of the event. Those employees can then choose whether to confront the person or see if they try to skip the checkout counter. approximately 15 seconds later approximately 15 seconds later A representative from the AI company explained that this solution is about more than stopping people from stealing single items. It sends them a message that they should not try to repeat their actions because they’ll get caught. Minimizing Theft in Retail These fascinating examples show how AI can help store managers, loss prevention officers and other responsible parties reduce the frequency of theft in their locations. Choosing the appropriate tools and learning how to use them properly is crucial for success.

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