Page 10967
Jan 27, 2017
DARPA teams with Flex Logix to develop FPGA technology for government agencies designing ICs
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: computing, government
DARPA licenses embedded FPGA tech for U.S. government projects.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, also known as DARPA, just signed an agreement to work with Flex Logix, a semiconductor start-up, to develop the young company’s EFLX embedded FPGA technology for use by any company or government agency designing integrated circuits for the U.S. government.
FPGAs have been widely used in systems since the 1980s and, at the system level, provide flexibility and programmability different from what processors can do. Many years ago, ARM took the idea of a processor chip and offered a processor architecture, which could be embedded in chips. Although it took time, embedded processors are now nearly ubiquitous. Flex Logix is doing the same for embedded FPGAs.
Jan 27, 2017
IARPA launching two programs aimed at making fingerprints more reliable biometrics
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: biotech/medical, cyborgs, privacy
Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), the intelligence community’s research arm, will soon launch two programs designed to detect fake fingerprints and develop devices to collect fingerprint data without the aid of a human operator, according to a report by GCN.
The Odin program, which is scheduled to begin with four prime developers in early March, will develop detection technologies that can spot presentation attacks on biometric devices that attempt to spoof physical biometric samples, said Chris Boehnen, senior program manager at IARPA.
Boehnen said that prosthetic fingers, fake fingerprints made with wood glue and other tactics can dupe current fingerprint sensors.
Jan 27, 2017
Harvard Physicists Say Hydrogen Finally Turns Into Metal, But Not Everyone Is Convinced
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: physics, space
Squeezed between two pieces of man-made diamond in the laboratory, hydrogen has finally been transformed into a metallic form that is believed to exist inside planets such as Jupiter, scientists revealed last Thursday.
Metallic hydrogen, deemed the rarest and potentially among the most valuable on Earth, was theorized almost a century ago. If certain theoretical predictions hold true, the hydrogen could turn into a solid metal that can remain solid once crushing pressure is removed. It could also serve as a room-temperature superconductor, conducting electricity sans resistance.
“This is the holy grail of high-pressure physics,” said Harvard physics professor Isaac Silvera, who created the material along with postdoctoral fellow Ranga Dias.
Jan 27, 2017
Video Friday: Muscle for Tough Robots, Cobots on Wheels, and WALK-MAN Goes for a Walk
Posted by Karen Hurst in category: robotics/AI
Here is a thought besides Robots with muscles; Robots working out in gyms or robot body builders. We’re already talking about Civil Rights for Robots and muscle for tough robots. Why not a gym along with the pyschologist for robots. And, don’t get me started on the whole substance abusing robots.
Video Friday is your weekly selection of awesome robot videos, collected by your Automaton bloggers. We’ll also be posting a weekly calendar of upcoming robotics events for the next two months; here’s what we have so far (send us your events!):
Jan 27, 2017
Concept of new projector the virtual reality
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: mobile phones, virtual reality
Jan 27, 2017
The merging of humans and machines is happening now
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: internet, robotics/AI
Of course it is and has been for a few years now with BMI tech, etc. However, it has drastically evolved in the recent 3 years. Can’t wait to see where we are in anouther 2 years…
Her organisation invented the internet. It gave us the self-driving car. And now DARPA’s former boss sees us crossing a new technological boundary.
Read more
Jan 27, 2017
Could Synthetic DNA Be the Next Tech Breakthrough?
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: biotech/medical, genetics, robotics/AI, singularity
Is Synbio the next big thing? Hmmm; depends. If we’re talking about ensuring that we have a solid foundation/ infrastructure (including platforms; etc.) on QC 1st then with the existing evolution and maturity of the fundamentals around Synbio as a 1st step; then accelerating the further maturity of Synbio into creating super humans and singularity? My answer is yes. If we’re not even considering that we need QC and just focused on Synbio only; my answer is No as QC will be required as a foundation for things like real Humanoid AI, cell circuited humans/ super humans, etc.
Why we might soon be buying silk, wood, and more fabricated out of genetic code.
Read more
Jan 27, 2017
Pilots report more near-misses with drones over UK
Posted by Karen Hurst in category: drones
Hmmm; Have a feeling the over crowed satellite junk problem in the upper atmosphere is nothing compared to what we see with this in the next 5 years as we look at Amazon, UPS, FedEx, USPS, PizzaHut, Dominos, Local delivery services via drone, EMS drone responders, comcast troubleshoot & repair drones, etc.
Description: Collision ‘only narrowly avoided’, Author: Linsey McNeill — TravelMole Media Group LLC, Publish Date: 27 January 2017, Image:, Category: Travel News.
Read more
Jan 27, 2017
New Mexico Bill Would Place Limits on Drones; Hinder Federal Surveillance Program
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: drones, law enforcement, surveillance
And, the laws are slowly try to catch up to tech.
SANTA FE, N.M. (Jan. 27, 2017) – A bill introduced in the New Mexico Senate would limit the warrantless use of surveillance drones. The legislation would not only establish important privacy protections at the state level, it would also help thwart the federal surveillance state.
Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino (D-Albuquerque) introduced Senate Bill 167 (SB167) on Jan. 19. Titled The Freedom from Unwanted Surveillance Act, the legislation would prohibit federal, state and local law enforcement from using a drone with the intent to gather evidence on private property without a warrant in most cases.
