Mercenary botnets for hire
Creators of botnets want to rent them out for attacking targets: When anyone can make use of a burgeoning army of rogue connected devices for a fee, the threat of…
Materials science engineers develop “metallic glass” gears for #robots
Materials science engineers have developed a “metallic glass” gear system that operates at very low temperatures, without lubrication, and provides high strength. “Metallic glass” has the strength of a metal…
Some Albertson’s stores eliminating self service checkouts
Our local Albertson’s, in Oregon, removed self service checkouts during the summer. Self service checkouts have been seen as a semi-automated way of reducing labor costs, and for some customers,…
Will automation lead to better jobs, rather than fewer? Some say yes.
“…fear has been replaced by a belief that automation not only holds the key to long-term survival but it can create better jobs than those replaced. More to the point,…
Automation to improve quality, rather than reduce labor costs
“Automation is not something we do simply to reduce labor. It’s a more a factor of consistency,” Burton said. “In fact, I treat (human) labor as a fixed cost. When…
Retailers using automation to reduce labor costs
Source: Retailers looking to save on labor costs turn to automation $15 per hour minimum wage, $4 to 5$ hour in benefits adds up while the costs of automation fall…