Archive for the ‘government’ category: Page 195
Jan 20, 2017
Big plans for nanotechnology
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: government, nanotechnology
Nice. I want one.
A revamped and rebranded NanoFabrication Kingston has launched with the goal of increasing activity outside of Queen’s University.
“We want to be open to the eastern Ontario community, industry and government as well as academia outside of Queen’s to make, characterize and test devices and samples that are small,” said Rob Knobel, Queen’s University professor and a lead researcher at NanoFabrication Kingston.
Jan 19, 2017
The Government Must Take on a Bigger Role in Shaping the Development of AI
Posted by Shane Hinshaw in categories: government, policy, robotics/AI, transportation
Artificial intelligence (AI) is in its crucial developmental stages and the government doesn’t seem to be to keen on shaping the way forward, according to experts during a senate inquiry into the dawn of AI.
The senate’s Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, under the helm of Texas Senator (R) Ted Cruz, convened November 30 to discuss the state of AI research and development, and its policy effects and implications on commerce. According to experts present at the hearing, the government isn’t doing much to provide guidelines and directions on AI research.
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Jan 17, 2017
Tech Groups Join Call for Congress to Ease FDA’s E-Cigarette Rules
Posted by Karen Hurst in category: government
A coalition of 13 organizations, including think tanks like TechFreedom and High Tech Forum, called on Congress to pass legislation that would loosen regulations on electronic cigarette manufacturers that took effect last year.
The rules were finalized by the Food and Drug Administration in May and went into effect in August. The groups are challenging the FDA’s “deeming rule” that requires e-cigarette makers to go through what the coalition considers to be a “lengthy and expensive” application process for products that were not on the market before Feb. 15, 2007.
“The FDA has reflexively applied the precautionary principle, giving more weight to theoretical concerns about problems that might arise rather than any concrete evidence of harm,” the organizations wrote in a letter Tuesday to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). “In doing so, the agency is depriving smokers of a demonstrably safer alternative out of pure speculation.”
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Jan 14, 2017
Why a New Group Aims to Elect More Scientists to the Government
Posted by Shane Hinshaw in categories: climatology, education, government, mathematics, sustainability
Concerned that scientific views are not being properly represented in Washington, a new nonprofit group wants to get more scientists elected. 314 Action, named after the first three digits of pi, wants scientists to embrace the political process, running for all levels of government. The group’s aim is to get as many scientists elected as possible in the 2018 elections.
314 Action sees particular urgency for its work due to the rise of anti-science rhetoric on the Hill, especially from the right. The current Republican standard bearer President Trump has questioned the idea that climate change is caused by humans and seemingly encouraged debunked anti-vaccination opinions. With the appointments Trump made so far, it’s hard to believe his administration will advance scientific causes.
The 314 Action group describes its members as people who come from the STEM community whose goals are to increase communication between STEM community and elected officials, to actually elect STEM-trained candidates to public office, to increase presence of STEM ideas through the media, and to prevent the U.S. from falling further and further behind the rest of the world in math and science education.
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Jan 13, 2017
How the government is making way for self-driving cars
Posted by Shane Hinshaw in categories: government, robotics/AI, transportation
Jan 10, 2017
Pentagon Seeks A More Powerful Social Media Monitoring Machine
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: government, military, terrorism
This is one of those situations that I often get conflicted over. Yes, it’s good to keep people safe; however, at what cost is too much? As, one person’s interpretation of a bad web site is not the same for others. Such as when Nelson Mandela led the whole anti-apartheid movement he was considered then a terrorist. And, the 1960s when Dr. King fought for real equal rights for all people; he was deemed by US government a terrorist. And, neither one of these situations where anything like ISIS today. So, it is a very tricky situation; and hope the courts can help us ensure things are legally done the right way.
DARPA is soliciting software that distinguishes between anti-American slogans and true intent to kill on a global scale.
Read more
Jan 9, 2017
Don’t Thank Big Government for Medical Breakthroughs
Posted by Steve Hill in categories: biotech/medical, economics, government, life extension
Grassroots funding of fundamental science and private enterprize will lead the way in rejuvenation biotechnology not the traditional funding sources from Government which are shrinking every year.
It is important to understand that innovation and progress is unlikely to come from the Government and the traditional grant system which is shrinking every year. Rejuvenation biotechnology will likely be funded with a mix of fundraising for fundamental breakthrough technologies followed by private enterprize taking discoveries to market. This is why supporting science is critcial as relying on the Government to innovate and drive progress is unlikely to yield results anytime soon.
“Today, researchers compete for government grants at increasingly shorter intervals and with diminishing chances of success: Less than 1 in 5 grant applications succeeds. This inhibits risk taking.
Continue reading “Don’t Thank Big Government for Medical Breakthroughs” »
Jan 8, 2017
Government testing online grocery shopping for food stamp participants
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: business, food, government, health
Interesting approach.
Families who rely on food stamps may not be left out of the future of grocery shopping after all.
The pilot, which will run for two years, will launch on Shop.safeway.com in August.
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Jan 8, 2017
Networks of the Sea Enter Next Stage
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: government, internet
DARPA’s Tactical Undersea Network Architecture (TUNA) program recently completed its initial phase, successfully developing concepts and technologies aimed at restoring connectivity for U.S. forces when traditional tactical networks are knocked offline or otherwise unavailable. The program now enters the next phase, which calls for the demonstration of a prototype of the system at sea.
TUNA seeks to develop and demonstrate novel, optical-fiber-based technology options and designs to temporarily restore radio frequency (RF) tactical data networks in a contested environment via an undersea optical fiber backbone. The concept involves deploying RF network node buoys—dropped from aircraft or ships, for example—that would be connected via thin underwater fiber-optic cables. The very-small-diameter fiber-optic cables being developed are designed to last 30 days in the rough ocean environment—long enough to provide essential connectivity until primary methods of communications are restored.
