Ideas

The 3 Waves of Accelerating RPA in Government

When it comes time to actually execute RPA, it’s tough to know where to start and how to scale agencywide.

Emerging Tech

TSA Launches Facial Recognition Pilot at Las Vegas Airport 

The agency will assess how the tech verifies travelers’ live facial images against pictures taken from travelers’ identity documents.

Digital Government

Pentagon Sees ‘No Major Concerns’ With Raytheon-United Technologies Merger

The Defense Department’s top weapons buyer, Ellen Lord, gives stamp of approval to what would be the second-largest defense and aerospace company ever.

Cybersecurity

The Pentagon Wants to Bolster DIU’s Cyber Defenses

The department is looking for penetration testers, red teams and cyber training to protect its startup incubator from online attacks.

Emerging Tech

New Rule Will Let Energy’s Labs Show Off Latest Tech To Attract Industry

The Energy Department has a mandate to push new technologies into the private sector. A new rule allows the labs to hold demos to get industry excited.

Digital Government

TSA Agents Say They’re Not Discriminating Against Black Women, But Their Body Scanners Might Be

The full-body scanners at airports across the country frequently give false alarms for Afros, braids, twists and other hairstyles popular among black women.

Digital Government

When Transgender Travelers Walk Into Scanners, Invasive Searches Sometimes Wait on the Other Side

Transgender and gender nonconforming people say they have been pressured to expose their genitals during TSA searches at airports. The encounters stem from shortcomings in the agency’s technology and insufficient training of its staff.

Digital Government

Survey: Public Wants Government Websites to Be Easier to Use

Government’s sites are also perceived as more secure than commercial sites, a new Booz Allen Hamilton survey suggests.

Ideas

Don't Ban New Technologies – Experiment with Them Carefully

Asking for forgiveness instead of permission has its place.

Cybersecurity

Senators Question Traffic Safety Agency About Cyber Dangers Posed by Internet-Connected Cars

Sens. Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal want to know why investors have been made more aware of the potential cyber risks than the general public.

Modernization

Agencies May Not Meet EIS Deadline, But Future Extensions Aren’t in Sight

GSA’s Office of Telecommunication Services director offered an update on the contract vehicle’s progress.

Emerging Tech

The Pentagon Is Turning to Nature to Solve Its Most Complex Problems

DARPA is exploring ways to harness chemical reactions, biological processes and other natural phenomena to build a more efficient computer.

Ideas

How Cities Are Getting Smarter

There isn’t one definition of a smart city technology, but here are places governments are making progress.

Emerging Tech

DHS is Collecting Biometrics on Thousands of Refugees Who Will Never Enter the U.S.

Most refugees who apply for asylum in the U.S. never set foot in the country, but under an agreement with the United Nations, DHS and its partners can still build biometric profiles on them.

Cybersecurity

Agencies Faced 31,000 Cyber Incidents Last Year, But Gave Up No Major Breaches

The total number of incidents the government experienced last year dropped 12% from 2017, according to the Office of Management and Budget.

Emerging Tech

CDC Needs Better Tools To Track Sickness, Symptoms In Wake Of Nuclear Disasters

If a nuclear device detonated, the resource CDC wants would support state and local health departments’ ability to respond.

Cybersecurity

Commerce Gives U.S. Companies an Extra 90 Days to Cut Ties with Huawei

“Some of the rural companies are dependent on Huawei, so we’re giving them a little more time to wean themselves off,” said Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

Emerging Tech

IG: NOAA, NASA Launched Next-Gen Satellite With Known Issues, Scrubbed Performance Metrics from Contract

The main instrument of the GOES-R next-generation satellite constellation wasn’t working before launch but officials sent it into space anyway.