Modernization

Is There an App for That?

User-centered design is a key success factor for implementation of mobile and digital technologies in government

Emerging Tech

What the Military Is Learning From a Chameleon Sandbox

Made up of kinetic sand, a toy that feels like the stuff on the beach but has the consistency of Silly Putty, the system's miniature bridges, lakes and other structures morph -- or disappear -- when a finger crushes critical infrastructure.

Digital Government

Republicans move to check internet transition

Two senior GOP lawmakers are questioning the viability of long-standing plans to end U.S. control of the address book of the internet.

Acquisition

Scott: ITMF paybacks won't be an issue

The federal CIO says agencies will be compelled to pay back their loans as modern IT systems come online. But some on Capitol Hill still have their doubts.

Modernization

You Can Now Turn Messages into Secret Code Using Emoji

Emoji are developing into their own language, albeit a sometimes impenetrable one.

Digital Government

Watching Plants Grow Is One of the Most Exciting Things in Technology

“Agriculture is all about complex judgments on the part of the farmer that are oftentimes stewed down to simple rules of thumb."

Modernization

FedRAMP Ready or FedRAMP Irrelevant?

Despite GSA’s efforts to accelerate the FedRAMP approval process, the lack of agency reciprocity puts the program’s central goals at risk.

Emerging Tech

Why GitHub Chased the Federal Market

It's no cakewalk, exactly, to get the federal sector to embrace certain open source tools.

Digital Government

Can chatbots improve government customer service?

Federal digital and customer experience experts are telling feds how AI and machine learning, including bots, can expand and improve customer service.

Digital Government

The Ultimate Facial-Recognition Algorithm

New research finds that machines designed to identify people still have difficulty with accuracy as datasets grow.

Cybersecurity

Reps press HHS on ransomware

The Department of Health and Human Services is weighing what kind of disclosures should follow a ransomware attack that involves health records. Two lawmakers urge a light touch.

Emerging Tech

The Future of Archaeology Is 'Spacejunk'

Museum tours may one day rocket beyond Earth to explore abandoned satellites and derelict spacecraft.

Acquisition

Deadline extended for Rising Star nominations

Got some early-career colleagues who are doing great things in federal IT? Nominate them for FCW's 2016 Rising Star awards.

Cybersecurity

DHS wants to shift to agile in a FLASH

DHS is looking for a dozen agile-minded and nontraditional companies to help with its upcoming agile design and development support services contract.

Cybersecurity

Lawmakers Want to See If Dumbing Down Smart Grids Might Thwart Hackers

The idea behind the experiment with analog tech is to help identify -- and remove -- hidden vulnerabilities that could let in malware.