Archive for October, 2018
Jeff Bezos Is Planning to Ship ‘Several Metric Tons of Cargo’ to the Moon
October 5th, 2018Via: Vice: Jeff Bezos’s pet aerospace exploration project is planning to send “several metric tons” of unspecified cargo to the Moon in the next five years. Blue Origin, described by Bezos as “the most important work I’m doing,” signed a letter of intent with German aerospace companies OHB Space Systems and Security and MT Aerospace […]
Jumping Robot Salto-1P
October 5th, 2018Via: IEEE:
DARPA Is Making Insects That Can Deliver Bioweapons
October 4th, 2018You’ll love this one. Via: Newsweek: The U.S. government’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has been accused of trying to create a new class of biological weapons that would be delivered via virus-infected insects. The Insect Allies program was announced by DARPA in 2016. It is a research project that aims to protect the […]
The Big Hack: How China Used a Tiny Chip to Infiltrate U.S. Companies
October 4th, 2018Update: Apple, Amazon Deny Bloomberg Report on Chinese Hardware Attack — Via: Bloomberg: In 2015, Amazon.com Inc. began quietly evaluating a startup called Elemental Technologies, a potential acquisition to help with a major expansion of its streaming video service, known today as Amazon Prime Video. Based in Portland, Ore., Elemental made software for compressing massive […]
An Estimated $3 Trillion in Daily Commerce Flows Through Ancient COBOL Systems
October 4th, 2018Via: Reuters: The Common Business-Oriented Language was developed nearly 60 years ago and has been gradually replaced by newer, more versatile languages such as Java, C and Python. Although few universities still offer COBOL courses, the language remains crucial to businesses and institutions around the world. In the United States, the financial sector, major corporations […]
Brain Scans Can Detect Who Has Better Skills
October 3rd, 2018Via: Wall Street Journal: To gain new insight into how highly specialized workers learn skills or react to stressful situations, researchers are leveraging advanced scanning technologies to look at what’s happening inside the brain. In the latest findings, a team of researchers studied surgeons as they performed surgical simulations and found they could identify novice […]
Amazon Raising Minimum Wage to $15
October 3rd, 2018Mmm hmm. Meet the Robots at Amazon: Of course, Amazon spins this by saying that they need humans to build and service the robots, so don’t worry about automation. *grin* Other commentary: Bezos’ Decision to Raise Wages is Largely a Machiavellian Distraction Amazon Eliminates Monthly Bonuses and Stock Grants After Minimum Wage Increase The Real […]
Chinese Armed Drones Now Flying Across Mideast Battlefields
October 3rd, 2018Via: AP: High above Yemen’s rebel-held city of Hodeida, a drone controlled by Emirati forces hovered as an SUV carrying a top Shiite Houthi rebel official turned onto a small street and stopped, waiting for another vehicle in its convoy to catch up. Seconds later, the SUV exploded in flames, killing Saleh al-Samad, a top […]
U.S. Government Can’t Account for $21 Trillion Since 1998
October 3rd, 2018This is from December 2017. Via: USA Watchdog: Michigan State University economics professor Mark Skidmore made an astounding discovery about the finances and budgets of the U.S. federal government earlier this year. He and a team of graduate students discovered $21 trillion missing in the federal budget going back to 1998. Dr. Skidmore, who specializes […]
Humanoid Construction Robot Installs Drywall by Itself
October 2nd, 2018Via: The Verge: If Japan’s Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Institute has its way, construction workers might be a thing of the past. Researchers have built HRP-5P, a humanoid bot that can handle a variety of construction tasks when there’s either a staffing shortage or serious hazards. The prototype uses a mix of environment detection, […]
