Archive for the 'Technology' Category
Shocker: GCSB Conducts Mass Surveillance on New Zealanders
September 12th, 2014*yawn* Via: New Zealand Herald: This morning on TV3’s The Nation, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Glenn Greenwald said that New Zealand’s spying agencies had been conducting mass surveillance on New Zealanders as part of the Five Eyes arrangement between the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. … He said New Zealand spent an “extraordinary […]
Stanford Engineer Aims to Connect the World with Ant-Sized Radios
September 10th, 2014Via: Stanford: A Stanford engineering team has built a radio the size of an ant, a device so energy efficient that it gathers all the power it needs from the same electromagnetic waves that carry signals to its receiving antenna – no batteries required. Designed to compute, execute and relay commands, this tiny wireless chip […]
GM to Introduce Hands-Free Driving in Cadillac Model in Two Years
September 7th, 2014Via: Bloomberg: General Motors Co. (GM), the largest U.S. automaker, will introduce a Cadillac model in two years that can be driven on the highway without the driver holding the steering wheel or putting a foot on a pedal. The 2017 Cadillac model will feature “Super Cruise” technology that takes control of steering, acceleration and […]
Aggressive Police Take Hundreds of Millions of Dollars from Motorists Not Charged with Crimes
September 7th, 2014Via: Washington Post: After the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, the government called on police to become the eyes and ears of homeland security on America’s highways. Local officers, county deputies and state troopers were encouraged to act more aggressively in searching for suspicious people, drugs and other contraband. The departments of Homeland Security […]
Army’s New Laser Cannon Blasts Drones Out of the Sky, Even in Fog
September 6th, 2014Runs on diesel, uses an Xbox controller. Via: Wired: Boeing is building a laser cannon for the U.S. Army, and the new weapon has now proved it will be as capable at sea as on land. The High Energy Laser Mobile Demonstrator (HEL MD)—basically a high-energy laser mounted on top of a big truck—was successfully […]
More Screens: NZ Pupils Struggling to Speak
September 6th, 2014Via: New Zealand Herald: Fewer children starting school can speak in sentences, prompting an investigation by education chiefs. Primary schools around the country have noted a decline in the spoken-language abilities of new entrants and the Ministry of Education will look into the reports. School leaders and a specialist in linguistics suspect the problem could […]
Intel’s New Mobile Chips Are Always Listening
September 6th, 2014Via: MIT Technology Review: A new line of mobile chips unveiled by Intel today makes it possible to wake up a laptop or tablet simply by saying “Hello, computer.” Once it has been awoken, the computer can operate as a voice-controlled virtual assistant. You might call out “Hello, computer, what is the weather forecast today?” […]
Nevada, Tesla Announce Gigafactory Deal
September 4th, 2014Via: USA Today: Tesla Motors and Nevada made it official on Thursday evening: the electric car company’s highly sought battery “Gigafactory” and its projected 6,500 jobs are coming to the Reno area. Mutual congratulations between the electric-car maker and Silver State officials aside, the news of the announcement event in Carson City was the huge […]
Britain: Robots Help Deliver Meals and Transport Waste and Equipment at New Hospital
September 4th, 2014Via: Western Daily Press: This is the incredible fleet of robots helping to provide food for almost 1,000 patients at a new £430 million super hospital. Southmead Hospital in Bristol has deployed a fleet of 12 automatic guided vehicles to deliver meals to its 950 patients. The droids, which start work at 10.15 every morning, […]
Red Light Camera Industry Fights Citizen Vote
September 4th, 2014Via: WTSP: Florida’s leading red light camera-provider American Traffic Solutions confirms to 10 Investigates Wednesday that it has joined the fight to prevent a citizen-backed referendum on red light cameras from ever reaching a ballot. The city is also fighting the referendum on grounds that it infringes upon city council’s power. However, the enemy of […]
