Archive for the 'Technology' Category
Who Is Responsible for a Driverless Car Accident?
October 9th, 2015Via: BBC: Volvo says it will accept full liability for accidents involving its driverless cars, making it “one of the first” car companies to do so. It joins Mercedes and also tech firm Google, who have made similar claims. Volvo says it is trying to expedite regulation in the US, where “a patchwork” of rules […]
Wind Now Competes with Fossil Fuels, Solar Almost Does
October 9th, 2015Disclosure: I sell solar power systems in NZ. I’m long Enphase Energy (ENPH). — Via: Fortune: When it comes to electricity, it’s all about the cost. A new report shows how clean energy electricity is becoming mainstream. Electricity generated by large wind farms is now cheap enough in many places around the world to compete […]
Gene Patents Probably Dead Worldwide Following Australian Court Decision
October 9th, 2015Via: Ars Technica: Australia’s highest court has ruled unanimously that a version of a gene that is linked to an increased risk for breast cancer cannot be patented. The case was brought by 69-year-old pensioner from Queensland, Yvonne D’Arcy, who had taken the US company Myriad Genetics to court over its patent for mutations in […]
CITE: The $1 Billion City That Nobody Calls Home
October 7th, 2015Via: CNN: In the arid plains of the southern New Mexico desert, between the site of the first atomic bomb test and the U.S.-Mexico border, a new city is rising from the sand. Planned for a population of 35,000, the city will showcase a modern business district downtown, and neat rows of terraced housing in […]
Hacking Risks to Nuclear Power Plants
October 6th, 2015haha. Somehow, I thought the control systems for nuclear power plants were air-gapped. This article says that’s a, “Pervading myth.” Via: Computer World: The risk of serious cyber-attacks on nuclear power plants is growing, according to a new report by think-tank Chatham House. If you follow this type of news, then this is probably not […]
New British Killer Drone Called “Protector”
October 6th, 2015Maybe “Reaper Overkill Edition” didn’t do so well in focus groups. Via: Janes: The UK is to receive 20 new ‘Protector’ unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as part of a wider ramp-up of unmanned, surveillance, and special forces capabilities to combat militant Islam in the Middle East, Prime Minister David Cameron announced on 3 October. Speaking […]
The Era Of Automatic Facial Recognition And Surveillance Is Here
October 5th, 2015Via: Forbes: ID checks were a common response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, but they’ll soon be obsolete. You won’t have to show your ID, because you’ll be identified automatically. A security camera will capture your face, and it’ll be matched with your name and a whole lot of other information besides. Welcome to […]
A Robot at Best Buy Sells CDs, DVDs, Games
October 5th, 2015Service with a smile. Via: Fox 5: Best Buy is experimenting with full automation — in the form of a robot — to sell a decidedly old-fashioned medium: CDs and DVDs. I’m in my 40s, so yes I remember vinyl records, tapes and even 8-tracks. So I still do like buying at least some of […]
Daimler Tests Self-Driving Truck on German Highway
October 2nd, 2015Via: AFP: German automaker Daimler said it trialled a self-driving truck under real traffic conditions for the first time Friday, on a motorway in southern Germany. The truck has smart systems including radars, cameras and active speed regulators and works without a human driver — although one has to be in the driver’s seat and […]
Urban Barns
October 2nd, 2015I wonder what that power bill is each month? Via: The National: Related: Meanwhile in Japan
