Bitcoin
A very decent explanation for those not wanting to read the technical paper: “There’s no easy way to explain Bitcoin, but let me wave my hands and try: When you…
Within 20 years, a majority of today’s jobs may be automated
Study finds that 2 in 3 jobs in Las Vegas may be automated by 2035. That’s just the headline. The real story is that 50% or more of jobs in…
What if Blockchain is not that useful?
There are downsides to blockchain technologies and processes (blockchain algorithms power Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies): Each purported use case — from payments to legal documents, from escrow to voting systems…
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…
Majority of Americans may not be able to use VR headsets
Most (nearly all?) virtual reality viewers available online can not be used by those who need to wear eyeglasses, which is a majority of Americans. The Problem VR viewers lack…
Vayyer’s 3D Sensors for home applications, sensors that see through walls
Sensors could also be utilized for advanced security and safety features in case of fire or intruder. AlertTracks the real-time movement of individuals inside the home and pinpoints and locates…
Using Wi-Fi to track people movement
Spotted at a National Park. Cell phone WiFi signals are being used, optionally, to determine movement and locations of people within the park, for use in future planning.
Self Order Kiosks at McDonald’s
Spotted by me, recently: As labor and benefits costs rise – and tech costs fall – we will see much more of this. McDonald’s is adding self order kiosks and…
McDonald’s installs 7,000 self-order entry systems in Europe
As the cost of labor increases, investing in fixed cost capital improvements like robotics and self order systems becomes an easy decision for those hiring low skilled work forces: McDonald’s…
Teaching 1st year programming using MIT App Inventor
Good news and bad news: Reflections on Using AppInventor to Teach First-year Programming | blog@CACM | Communications of the ACM. MIT App Inventor is a graphical programming system that runs…