Contrasting black-and-white clown makeup outsmarts facial recognition technology, Consequence of Sound reported. The two-tone face paint was popularized by “Juggalos,” or fans of the rap duo Insane Clown Posse. Facial scanning and other biometrics are still works in progress. […]
A Dutch skywatcher has photographed the X-37B military spacecraft, according to Space.com. Little is currently known about the vehicle or its top-secret missions in outer space. The sighting has inspired a review of other satellites of importance. […]
Uber has unveiled its first passenger-carrying rideshare aircraft, Business Insider reported. The hybrid helicopter/airplane design can fly customers across cities at 150 mph. Science fiction predicted such vehicles to traverse endless landscapes. […]
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) wants phone companies to block robocalls by default, according to NPR. Currently, customers must opt in to block specific unwanted calls. How did we get here from copper wires and switch systems? […]
Citing concerns of election fraud, Microsoft is releasing ballot-tracking software, NPR reported. The software kit will allow voters to track their votes as they go through the counting process and notify them if and when tampering occurs. This tool aims to secure our increasingly vulnerable voting system. […]
Oregon police responded to a burglary call only to find a Roomba® causing ruckus in a bathroom, according to NPR. A concerned house guest called the police due to strange noises coming from a locked bathroom, but when law enforcement got in, they found a robot vacuum moving back and forth across the floor. The development of robotic vacuum cleaners has come a long way. […]
New scientific tool decodes brain signals intended for body’s speech-related movements and turns them into computerized speech, as reported by Axios. While the device has limitations, it’s a step forward in helping those who have lost the ability to speak. However, neural imaging is often misunderstood. […]
Amazon employees sometimes listen to voice commands that Echo owners give to Alexa, “Bloomberg” reported. During the Alexa voice review process, a team of Amazon contractors and full-time employees listen to recordings of customers giving instructions to Alexa, for the purposes of improving software algorithms. Do privacy issues have a home on “The Internet of Things?” […]
The Chinese government announced regulations requiring research approval for gene editing, “Science Magazine” reported. This statement follows the news that China had produced two genetically-altered babies. We’ve come a long way from blasting radiation at insects. […]
Twenty of the top American airports will soon use facial recognition technology to increase security, government documents released to BuzzFeed said. U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will implement the Biometrics Entry-Exit Program by 2021. Learn more about biometrics and the potential benefits—and risks—they bring. […]
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