Ideas

Why the Feds Are Investigating Tesla’s Autopilot and What that Means for the Future of Self-Driving Cars

Tesla’s Autopilot enables hands-free driving, but it’s not meant to allow drivers to take their eyes off the road.

Ideas

Lesson from a Robot Swarm: Change Group Behavior by Talking One-on-One Rather than Getting on a Soapbox

Persuading people one-on-one might be the best route to getting them to recognize better alternatives.

Emerging Tech

NASA Wants Industry to Build Next-Generation Space Stations  

The space agency is looking to industry to design and build destinations in space that can be used for tourism and science-based missions.

Digital Government

GSA’s First Centers of Excellence Customer Touts $50M in Cost Avoidance

After three years, the Agriculture Department launched a cloud office, consolidated contact centers and stood up more than a hundred dashboards.

Emerging Tech

Fish Fins Are Teaching Us the Secret to Flexible Robots and New Shape-Changing Materials

Materials based on a segmented structure could be used in underwater propulsion and improve the agility and speed of fish-inspired submarines.

Ideas

Building Resiliency into the Future of the Federal Government

Creating a digital workplace that enables government users to work virtually from anywhere with the productivity, personalization and security they need is vital to digital resiliency.

Emerging Tech

VA’s Extended Reality Network Expanding Across Agency  

There are more than 75 Veterans Health Administration sites using extended reality in some fashion.

Emerging Tech

Cryptocurrency Company Makes Case for Running its Own Local Government

A Nevada commission is studying the concept. An executive with Blockchains Inc. says its plans for an "innovation zone" won't work inside an existing county.

Ideas

The Pentagon Needs a Strategy That Does Not Hinge on Fragile Networks

A failed wargame should make us think twice about “connect-everything” plans.

Emerging Tech

Oak Ridge-Made Software Platform Digitally Twins All U.S. Buildings

Those involved aim to help improve nationwide decision-making about energy efficiency.

Digital Government

Report: Biden Administration Must Prioritize Workforce, Tech Modernization

The government employs 19 times more mission-critical IT employees over the age of 50 than under the age of 30, according to the Partnership for Public Service.

Ideas

Apple Can Scan Your Photos for Child Abuse and Still Protect Your Privacy – If the Company Keeps Its Promises

The company will use some clever math to sniff them for instances of child abuse without looking at the photos.

Emerging Tech

Space Force’s Innovation Hub Announces Solicitations in the Works

SpaceWERX kicks off with a virtual event to find cutting-edge space tech from companies that are new to working with the government.

Modernization

State Department Still Struggling With 5-Year-Old Recommendations to Fix IT Management Issues

The agency is doing better about reporting through its internal system but six of seven outstanding issues remain a concern for the inspector general.

Emerging Tech

Spacesuits and Lawsuits Put 2024 Moon Landing in Jeopardy

Two lunar-exploration spacesuits won’t be ready, a new report says, while bid protests have held up work on the lander.

Ideas

Female Scientists Set Back by the Pandemic May Never Make Up Lost Time

The reason is the inequitable structure of rewards in science.