Category: Culture & Ethics

A3 forum for robotics leaders runs through Friday in Orlando

The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) Business Forum, which seeks to explore how robotics is changing businesses for the better, begins today at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek in Orlando. More than 400 attendees are expected at this 21st annual event. “A3 has been at the forefront of robotics industry for more than 30 years,

Robot security guard maker releases statement on privacy

Knightscope, which has been in the news a lot lately because of its first product, a robot security guard, today directly addressed one of the concerns people have about the robot: privacy. In a post on the company’s blog, the Knightscope notes that while some privacy advocates are uncomfortable with the way the robot collects data,

FIRST kicks off 2014 season, unveils “Aerial Assist” game

The 2014 FIRST Robotics Competition kicked off over the weekend, and high school students around the world (nearly 70,000, according to organizers) got their first look at this year’s arena and game. Each year, the basic structure of the FIRST Robotics Competition remains the same, but the specific game that students must design their robots

Chrysler Foundation pledges $229K for FIRST Robotics teams

The Chrysler Foundation reported today that it will award $229,000 in grants to support FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics teams and organizations during 2014. The money will primarily be used to fund FIRST teams in the group’s home state of Michigan, with additional support for teams in Arizona, Illinois, Indiana,

FAA announces test sites for unmanned aircraft research

After months of anticipation, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration today revealed the locations of six unmanned aircraft systems research and test sites. Congress directed the FAA to establish the sites as part of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 in preparation for integration of UAS into the national airspace system by 2015. Back

“Hidden” Internet of Things OS proves vulnerable to attack

For all the excitement surrounding progress toward networking the everyday machines that make up the “Internet of Things” — tech writers and analysts say the IoT will be a major focus of research and investment this year (as well as a new arena of potential FTC intervention) — there has been comparatively little attention paid

White House Google+ Hangout features “maker” theme today

The latest installment of the White House “We the Geeks” series of Google+ Hangouts, scheduled for later today, will feature a maker movement theme. “We the Geeks” is designed to highlight the future of science, technology and innovation in the United States. A previous edition, held in August, was all about robots. Today’s event —

FAA releases roadmap for UAS, finalizes test site privacy policy

The Federal Aviation Administration today released its first annual “roadmap” outlining efforts to integrate unmanned aircraft systems into the nation’s airspace. The document is available for download here: Integration of Civil Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the National Airspace System (NAS) Roadmap The FAA says its main goal for integration is to establish requirements that

Australian UAV competition draws attention to civilian uses

Northrop Grumman put out a release today touting its sponsorship of the UAV Challenge – Outback Rescue, a joint effort between the Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation and Australia’s national science agency. The goal of the competition is to grow the country’s civil UAV industry and raise awareness of civilian applications. Current Australian law

Freescale, Oracle partner to shape the “Internet of Things”

We are in recent years seeing more and more facets of our daily lives adapt to incorporate not only some broad, loose conception of ever-evolving technology, but a level of automation and connectedness that is markedly changing the relationship we have with the world around us — not least because it’s changing the relationship that things