All Technology
- The ExplainerEurope’s new data privacy law
The EU's data collection measures take effect May 25 and will reach beyond the Continent. Here's what you need to know.
- First LookWhite-hat hackers debug state security systems
States are increasingly paying hackers to break into their systems. These white-hat hackers uncover security flaws to prevent real breaches in the future.
- First LookHumanlike Google voice makes a hair appointment. Should we be concerned?
On Tuesday, Google showed off a computer assistant that makes convincingly human-sounding phone calls. While Google's demonstration highlights the benign uses of conversational robots, what happens when spammers and scammers get hold of them?
- First LookMicrosoft announces $25 million 'AI for Accessibility' initiative
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella wants technology creators to be more thoughtful of the ethical principles inherent in their work and emphasized the company's philosophy of building artificial intelligence for social good at Microsoft's annual conference.
- Can an algorithm be art?
Digital artists have long faced criticism from art-world purists who challenge the idea that art created with computers qualifies as 'real art.' But for Hamid Naderi Yeganeh, the computer is just another artistic tool.
- First LookSolar panel proposal faces opposition in Washington State
If approved, a farm in central Washington would become one of the first solar farms in the state, a possibility that has led to some local pushback. The debate is part of a national struggle over agricultural land being converted for solar-energy production.
- First LookNew app helps Kenyan herders cut drought risks
The Afriscout app, which uses satellite images to identify where there is grass and surface water, is helping Kenyan herders counter the effects of prolonged drought. The app so far has 3,000 users in Kenya.
- First LookWill restaurant robots change the industry or sizzle out?
Experts say automation will be the future in the fast-food sector, as robot chefs become cheaper and more efficient. Recent robot powered restaurants, however, often make headlines but don't always live up to the hype.
- First LookIndian inventors curb air pollution by turning exhaust into ink
A team of Indian engineers have found a way to turn air pollution into ink. The device they came up with, which attaches to generators, captures 90 percent of the soot particles from cooled diesel exhaust.
- First LookTechnology's influence reshapes how employers assess job applicants
Companies are challenging the notion that students who specialize in STEM courses and academia will be more likely to succeed in the job market. Instead, many employers are using computer programs to assess the qualitative skills of their candidates.
- First LookAutomakers embrace robots that assist, not replace, human workers
Automation on factory floors has swept the car industry and raised fears for many workers that their jobs may be in jeopardy. But increasingly, companies are embracing so-called 'cobots,' collaborative robots, that work alongside human employees.
- First LookNew app aims to keep the poor out of pre-trial jail
Amid moves to reform the prison system, an app called Promise aims to secure the release of poor people awaiting trial or sentencing through remote monitoring. Users receive reminders about court appearance dates and documents required.
- First LookChinese automakers' influence grows in electric vehicle industry
Electric cars aren't currently a lucrative business for most automakers but investors see a promising future. For Chinese companies, that interest is causing a major uptick in production around the world.
- First LookIn new move, Facebook publishes guidelines on inappropriate content
Facebook published 27 pages worth of guidelines on what it does not allow on its service, closely mirroring the rules its 7,600 moderators follow to monitor the social network.
- First LookDainty machines? Collaborative robots help humans in Japanese factories
As the workforce ages in Japan and elsewhere, "cobots" are emerging as a way to keep assembly lines moving without replacing humans. Cobots are being used by companies of all sizes for simple tasks and small-batch manufacturing.
- First LookVoice assistants can't understand Pittsburghese
If you're from Pittsburgh, 'Sorry, I didn't get that,' may be a refrain you're used to hearing from Alexa. Voice assistants, trained on regular American English, often trip up on requests in regional dialects.
- First LookResearchers develop autonomous vehicles to help the blind
New research conducted outside of the auto industry aims to develop data and software to ensure that the needs of the blind are met when autonomous cars become commonplace.
- Zuckerberg testimony: a tipping point for new privacy regs?
Even Facebook's founder says regulation of social media platforms is 'inevitable.' A new EU privacy law may also push corporations to adopt similar practices universally.
- First LookFTC asked to investigate Youtube
Child advocates and consumer groups lodged a formal complaint against Google for allegedly violating children's online privacy by allowing ads to target them. The complaint comes at a time of increased public scrutiny over the tech industry's mining of personal data.
- First LookUtah hospital's webcam connects deployed father with infant son
Half a world away, John Girtman – stationed with the US Air Force – can keep a watchful eye on his infant son in the neonatal intensive care unit in Utah's Timpanogos Regional Hospital thanks to new webcam technology.