Artificial Intelligence

The Pentagon’s AI Factory Gets a Powerful New Tool

The Joint Common Foundation aims to help the Department to standardize and secure its data and make it easier to find.

Ideas

Political Trolls Adapt, Create Material to Deceive and Confuse the Public

What they posted shifted over time.

Ideas

4 Tips to Help Kids to Cope with COVID-19 Anxiety

As children go through this crisis, they don’t have to be afraid.

Policy

CBP Shifts to Enterprise Approach to Manage Phone Searches at U.S. Borders

The agency uses metadata to create a system of record for electronic device searches but agents may be able to access information irrelevant to their cases. 

Ideas

Wearable Fitness Devices Deliver Early Warning of Possible COVID-19 Infection

Several studies are testing algorithms that assess data from wearable devices to detect COVID-19.

Artificial Intelligence

How Agencies Can Tackle Tech Talent Gaps

Strong brands and room for risk might pay off where government salaries don’t, federal officials said.

Ideas

Does Your Agency Pass the Telework Stress Test?

If you haven’t already, ensure your capacity and licensing are at the levels needed for sustained telework.

Cybersecurity

Pentagon Wants Contractor Feedback on Rule Change that Bans Certain Chinese Firms

A provision of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act banning agencies from contracting with companies doing business with Chinese firms like Huawei and ZTE now takes effect.

Modernization

FPDS Reports Will Officially Move to beta.SAM by Mid-October

Users will no longer be able to run contract award reports through FPDS.gov, though that site will retain other capabilities.

Emerging Tech

New Coalition Wants to Help in Fight Against Election Misinformation

The Election Integrity Partnership consists of university researchers and others. Local election officials are among those the partnership is hoping to assist in the weeks ahead.

Ideas

The U.S. Election System Is Not Ready for Blockchain Technology … Yet

Blockchain does not exist in a vacuum. It requires extensive support from human personnel and other technology.

Emerging Tech

Open-Source Project Aims to Broaden Access to Early Alerts for Earthquakes 

Using internet of things devices and open-source standards, developers and citizen scientists can help monitor earthquake activity, deliver alerts in moments of risk—and more. 

Digital Government

Education Department Testing Tool to Make Data Collection Requests Easier 

The pilot tool will undergo testing using real information requests at the Education Department and other statistical agencies but will later be available to other agencies.

Emerging Tech

Universal Service Fund Wants to Automate Verification of High-Cost Telecom, Broadband Areas

The Universal Service Administrative Company is looking at robotic process automation to streamline checks and balances before it subsidizes telephone and internet access in high-cost areas.

Emerging Tech

Do All Face Masks Offer Similar Protection? New Test Offers A Way to Compare

The limited findings raise doubts about the effectiveness of neck gaiters and bandanas in preventing the spread of the coronavirus.