Emerging Tech

Navy Taps Undersea Consortium to Work on 15 Advanced Tech Problems

Members of the Undersea Technology Innovation Consortium will get a chance to work on prototypes for everything from underwater drones to advanced weapons systems.

Emerging Tech

COVID-19 Contact Tracing App Uses Bluetooth 'Garbage'

To work best, the app requires many people to use it, whether they have had COVID-19 or not.

Ideas

New Government Technology Could Herald Our New Normal

Perhaps we can get back to something akin to normal but in a safer way.

Emerging Tech

To Understand the Medical Supply Shortage, It Helps to Know How the U.S. Lost the Lithium Ion Battery to China

The failed U.S. effort to dominate global production of the lithium ion battery — which is key to energy independence, automobile innovation and more — holds lessons for leaders grappling with the U.S.’s reliance on China for emergency medical supplies.

Emerging Tech

Air Force Turns Focus to Flying Cars

A virtual conference will kick off the service’s Agility Prime initiative to operationalize flying cars.

Emerging Tech

Forget Travel Vouchers, Airlines Should Give Customers Cash Back, Senators Say

A group of senators estimates airlines are holding about $10 billion from customers whose travel plans changed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Digital Government

Deputy Defense CIO to Retire; Intelligence Community CIO to Step In

Essye Miller, who served temporarily as acting Defense CIO, plans to retire after 35 years supporting military technology.

Emerging Tech

How a Slice of Spectrum Split the U.S. Government

The head of the Federal Communications Commission wants to allow a satellite company access in the interest of 5G despite objections from Defense, Commerce and other departments and agencies. 

Emerging Tech

What’s Wrong With the Air Force’s ‘Connect Everything’ Project

In a new report, GAO watchdogs say officials can’t say how much it costs or if it’ll even work

Emerging Tech

Medical Consortium Aims to Create Network of Virtual Critical Care Wards

The group seeks to support patients in need of critical care in hospitals and other ad-hoc locations using cloud-based communication technology.

Emerging Tech

Energy Department Considers New Partnership to Bring Star Power to Earth

The federal government wants to put money directly in industry’s hands to bring the concept of fusion reactors from sci-fi to reality.

Emerging Tech

OSTP, NIST Team Up to Fine-Tune Search Engines for COVID-19 Research

Researchers are using the present health crisis to help improve search systems and enable clinicians to find better answers quicker.

Ideas

Is the Fourth Industrial Revolution a Silver Lining? 

Dramatic disruptions like the coronavirus pandemic can lead to permanent shifts in how we work.

Digital Government

Need Help With Covid-19 Tech? This Nonprofit Connects Volunteers with Governments

The U.S. Digital Response, a new nonprofit, dispatches tech-sector volunteers to assist governments with coronavirus-related projects.

Cybersecurity

DARPA Project Producing Tool to Help Anticipate Military and Industrial Systems’ Cyber Threats 

The VERDICT tool aims to allow systems engineers to assess cybersecurity even without deep expertise. 

Cybersecurity

North Korea Has Hackers for Hire, Agencies Warn

State, Treasury, FBI join CISA in an alert noting the unexpected way the nation-state is using its cyber talent.

Digital Government

Spike in Federal COVID-19 Spending Flattens as Total Nears $3B

A separate analysis shows some IT modernization efforts booming while others are put on hold during the pandemic.

Modernization

Pentagon IG Can’t Rule Out White House Influence on JEDI Cloud Contract

A 300-page IG investigation reveals multiple ethics violations and refusal by Defense Department General Counsel to let senior officials comment on communications with the White House.

Emerging Tech

NIH, FDA and VA 3D-Printing Collaboration Turns to Ventilator Parts

So far, about a dozen designs for personal protective gear have gotten the OK for clinical use.