News in Brief

Scammers Use Deepfake AI Hologram

Patrick Hillmann, Chief Communications Officer of cryptocurrency exchange Binance, confirmed that scammers used his Deepfake AI hologram to trick users into online meetings and target the projects of clients of the company.

Hillmann explained in a blog post that the attack was orchestrated by a ‘sophisticated hacking team’ that used video footage of interviews and TV appearances to create the deepfake hologram video.

‘It turns out that a sophisticated hacking team used previous news interviews and TV appearances over the years to create a ‘deep fake’ of me,’ he said.

Hillmann added that he received several online messages thanking him for the time spent in meetings with project teams regarding potential opportunities to list their assets on Binance.com. However, Hillmann clarified that he has no insight or oversight into Binance listings, and had never met with project teams before.

Using this deepfake hologram, the scammers trick people into online meetings and target Binance clients and their crypto projects. Additionally, Hillmann shared a screenshot of the project manager and him in a Zoom meeting. Hillmann said it was not him and refuted any such encounter.

Hologram Used to Authenticate Football Memorabilia

Nowadays, attending a sporting event is as much about the experience as it is about the outcome of the sporting action. ‘In every game, memorable moments happen and, through the club’s official Auction page, supporters now have the opportunity to own their own authentic piece of those moments when they happen,’ says Phil Gray, Retail and Licensing Coordinator at England Championship club Norwich City.

‘The Norwich City Authentication programme is a service that will give our supporters the protection against unauthentic items in the secondary market, when purchasing match worn, player issue shirts, a piece of the club’s history or a signed item.

‘Look for the official authentication hologram and you will be able to trace via the club’s website what exactly that item is recorded as.’ All items sold through the club’s official auction page will now be included in the authentication programme and will have a security hologram added to the item as well as a certificate of authenticity.

Each hologram has its own unique number, and the club will hold a record of which item is allocated to each hologram’s unique number. This will ensure that even if the certificate of authenticity is misplaced the item will hold its authenticity.

This means that if, for example, you purchase a match worn shirt and lose your certificate of authenticity that comes with it, you can trace the item on the club’s Authentication Programme site and request a PDF version of the certificate.

Eco-Friendly Cast-and-Cure Holographic Film Now Available in Italy

Breit Technologies has reached an agreement with Inglese srl to distribute Breit's eco-friendly cast-and-cure films to printers and label companies throughout Italy.

‘We are tremendously excited to expand our eco-friendly cast-and-cure finishes to the Italian market,’ said Breit Technologies President Tim Cain. ‘This type of holography will suit the needs of any company that has a corporate sustainability policy and wants their labels or packaging to have that elusive ‘wow’ factor.’ Breit’s Cast and Cure™ (C2TM) is a decorative coating process that integrates ‘casting’ and ‘curing’ techniques to

form a consistent high-quality surface that can include ultra-high gloss, matte and holographic finishes on a variety of substrates. This effect can be created in both sheet fed and web fed (flexo and gravure) environments. C2 can be used for the decorative print market and can also be incorporated with security and anti- counterfeiting features.

C2 is a sustainable process. By using ultraviolet inks and varnishes there are no undesirable and harmful VOC’s (volatile organic compounds). In addition, it can make packages more easily recyclable by eliminating the laminated metalised films used in traditional holographic processes. The most significant benefit, according to the company, is this is all achieved at a fraction of traditional costs.

Inglese provides solutions for label and flexible pouch printers throughout Italy, such as label and packaging management software, inspection systems, and converting and finishing equipment. Cast- and-cure eco-friendly films fits well in this eclectic product mix.

‘Currently in Italy there is immense interest in holography and finishes that will not affect the recyclability and compostability of a substrate,’ said Marcello Morara, Sales Director of Inglese. ‘Once our customers see how wonderful it looks and how easy it is to apply, we are confident that Cast and Cure will become a popular go-to option.’ Inglese plans to warehouse the most popular patterns and styles of cast-and- cure film at their headquarters outside of Bologna, Italy, so they will be able to turn around orders within 36 hours or less.

Huge Holographic Helicopter Hovers Above EDM Star

A huge holographic helicopter hovering in the sky forms part of a live show by Electronic Dance Music (EDM) artist Eric Prydz, as part of the updated 2022 version of his HOLO concert show. Other giant images in the show include a whale, the Discovery space shuttle, astronauts, and a giant eyeball.

The Swedish DJ and record producer originally launched a HOLO tour in 2019, prior to the pandemic, and is said to be using multiple layers of transparent LED screens to create 3D visuals hovering over his head that give the illusion of depth. The HOLO show was developed with support from creative technology firm RES, making extensive use of the control systems company Avolites’ AI servers.

As the name suggests, a transparent LED screen is a type of display screen that is as translucent as glass but functions as an LED. It enables viewers to focus on whatever is shown on the glass and to shift focus to see beyond the screen. Since it enables an audience to see what is happening behind the screen, it is also referred to as a see-through screen.

The new 2022 visuals can be seen in a promotional video uploaded by the Tomorrowland festival at www.avinteractive.com/news/display/huge-holographic-helicopter-hovers-at-eric-prdyz-show-25-08-2022/.