Uber drivers at the company’s inspection lot near Mission Bay in San Francisco will be met with a rather strange sight: a five-foot-tall, white, egg-shaped robot wheeling around the lot, on the look-out for trouble. This robot will be putting a few people out of a job soon.
Continue reading… “Uber parking lot patrol robot is cheaper than a security guard”
New Jersey public transit was recently forced to remove the bugs it had installed on its light rail system after a public outcry, however Baltimore’s buses and subways remain under audio surveillance. All the while in Oakland, cops have hid mics around bus-shelters near the courthouses to capture audio of defendants and their lawyers discussing their cases.
Continue reading… “Hidden “anti-crime” mics are proliferating on US public transit”
Given projections for lower food prices and rising incomes, food security for the 76 low- and middle-income countries included in this demand-oriented framework is expected to improve through 2026. The share of the population that is food insecure is projected to fall from 17 percent in 2016 to 6 percent in 2026. The number of food-insecure people is projected to fall markedly, 59 percent, to 251 million in 2026 which matches the decline in the intensity of food insecurity, at the aggregate level.
Continue reading… “USDA predicts global food insecurity will drop to 6% of world population”
It’s never been so easy to start a company. There’s rarely been more money in venture capital. However, last year we saw the fewest number of new software-as-a-service companies founded since 2011. This year is on track to be even worse.
Continue reading… “Fewer software companies are starting up than anytime in last five years”
Physicians are pretty good at detecting breast cancer. However, they certainly aren’t perfect. Human pathologists can accurately identify the disease with 96 percent accuracy by reviewing breast biopsy samples, without even coming in contact with the patient. That’s an extremely impressive rate, given that cancer misdiagnosis can occur up to 28 percent of the time, according to healthcare journal BMJ Quality and Safety.
Continue reading… “AI assistant can diagnose breast cancer with near perfect accuracy”
Drones are fantastic as a hobby, however these small unmanned aerial vehicles pose a significant security threat when they fall into the wrong hands. A single weaponized drone is bad enough, but drone swarms are a security nightmare for military officials. Drones are difficult to spot when approaching, tough to follow on radar, and cannot be easily shot down using conventional weapons. In order to combat this potential threat, Lockheed Martin has developed a laser-based weapon that’ll blow such drones out of the sky.
Continue reading… “Weaponized drone swarms will meet 60-kilowatt laser”
What was once a haven for innovation, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is now rocked by the velocity of technological change and roiled by “patent trolls.” Could it be that the biggest impediment that innovators now face is the very system that was created to protect them?
Continue reading… “This is how the U.S. Patent Office screwed up”
Hacking is most certainly a two way street. The developers behind Ethereum launched an assault on an anonymous hacker that stole at least $89 million through its network.
By using software to unify solar panels and battery storage, we can create a single, flexible resource that utilities can use to supply the grid. Look and see what New York utility Consolidated Edison is launching this summer.
Continue reading… “Virtual power plants”
Finland was once a renowned technology sector that shed 15,000 jobs with the demise of Nokia’s mobile phone business. It is now struggling to fill thousands of vacancies for software developers, because it lacks people with the right skills.
NOTE: For anyone looking to enter the coding field, check out the beginner-based courses offered by DaVinciCoders.
Continue reading… “Finland struggles to fill over 7,000 programming jobs”
A Swedish college was forced to refund tuition to an American business student for providing her a poor economics education. The college promised graduates would receive ‘competitive qualifications’ when being considered for jobs.
Continue reading… “US student wins tuition refund for useless degree”
A blind woman in Texas is now the first person to undergo therapy based on a technology called optogenetics. The therapy will create light-sensing cells in one of her eyes and enable her to see again. Doctors don’t yet know if it worked, but the implications of an optogenetics trial could be significant for patients suffering from blindness, Parkinson’s, or schizophrenia.
Continue reading… “Woman from Texas is the first to undergo Optogenetic Therapy”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
Learn More about this exciting program.