Technology Info Crunch

People are increasingly worried that powerful software will replace the need for human workers. Image: REUTERS/Rick Wilking 13 Apr 2017 Jonathan Vanian Writer, Fortune Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is preparing his country to deal with the challenges new technologies place on the workforce. The rise of artificial intelligence technologies has made it easier for companies like  Google  to automatically identify cats in photos. But as cutting-edge AI technologies amplify automation, people are increasingly worried that powerful software will replace the need for  human workers . Earlier this week, Trudeau  addressed  the subject of automation and labor on the question-and-answer website Quora and explained some of his ideas to help Canadian citizens keep their jobs in light of rapid technological advances. Trudeau concedes that the “job market is changing” but instead of “resisting in vain,” Canada is going to fu...

  Custom Photo IN BRIEF SolidEnergy plans to make "holy grail of batteries"--a lithium metal battery with twice as much capacity than any available today. The company plans for their technology to be commercially available soon. SOLIDENERGY SolidEnergy Systems , a company founded by MIT alumnus Qichao Hu who also serves as the company’s CEO, has announced that will soon make a rechargeable lithium metal battery with double the current capacity of those available today commercially available. Image: SolidEnergy Systems “With two-times the energy density, we can make a battery half the size, but that still lasts the same amount of time, as a lithium ion battery. Or we can make a battery the same size as a lithium ion battery, but now it will last twice as long,”  says Hu , who also co-invented the novel battery at MIT. Their product is an “anode-free” lithium metal battery that is twice as energy-dense, making it perfect for most consumer electronics such ...

This hydrogen-powered train emits only water By Nadine Schmidt April 12, 2017: 10:48 AM ET Third Party Content: CNN Imagine a nearly silent train that glides along its tracks emitting nothing more toxic than water. That train is a reality. In March, Germany conducted successful tests of the world's first "Hydrail" -- a hydrogen powered, zero-emission train. "The new train is 60% less noisy than a traditional diesel train, completely emission free," said Jens Sprotte of Alstom, the French producer of the train. "Its speed and the possibility to transport passengers match the performance of a diesel train." "The only sound it gives off comes from the wheels and air resistance," Sprotte added. Here's how the new technology works: The Hydrail uses the same equipment as a diesel train but substitutes hydrogen as its fuel source. Large fuel cells sitting on top of the train combine hydrogen and oxygen to generate ele...

Future Society  Getty IN BRIEF Nokia has partnered with India's top telcos to bring 5G network infrastructure into the country. With 5G internet, India's one billion mobile subscribers will no longer be stuck with the current 2G network access. BETTER, FASTER, STRONGER A fast internet connection is a necessity in today’s world. Currently, the fastest available internet runs on what’s known as fourth generation — or 4G — technology. The fastest among 4G technology is called LTE, which is capable of delivering download speeds of 50mbps. However,  a number of telecommunication companies  (or telcos) all over the world  are testing the next generation of internet technology ; the so-called 5G. In India, telcos are working with Nokia to make 5G a reality. India’s top telco, Bharti Airtel, together with state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Nokia to convert existing network infrastructure to ...

Dare you take a walk on an overhang glass bridge 200 meters above the ground? This A-shaped # skywalk in SW China's Chongqing is believed to have the longest cantilever in the world. A glass-bottom skywalk, believed to have the longest cantilever in the world, in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality opened to public on April 1. The A-shaped bridge extends 86 meters from the cliff wall, and hangs more than 200 meters above ground level at Wansheng Ordovician Theme Park. Only 30 people can be on the skywalk at one time. During last week's three-day Qingming Festival holiday, nearly 10,000 tourists from across China visited the bridge. "My heart nearly jumped out of my chest when I stood on the bridge. It's so exhilarating," said tourist Li Jing from Chongqing. "We will apply to the Guinness world record committee for the longest cantilever bridge, to make it more attractive to tourists," said Tang Nan, president of the park. It is n...

by  Karla Lant  Dr. Gopal Murti/Science Photo Library/Getty Direct-To-Consumer 2.0 On April 6, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) changed course on genetic testing kits from 23andMe, indicating that the company can now directly tell consumers when their DNA puts them at a higher risk for 10 different diseases. The current 23andMe risk profile includes Alzheimer’s, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, hereditary thrombophilia, Parkinson’s, and Gaucher’s. The FDA’s turnaround is a gentler version of its original decision from 2013, which prevented the company from sharing these risks based on concerns they could be risky for consumers. The Director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Jeffrey Shuren,  cautioned consumers in a statement , echoing the concerns that led to the previous ban on direct sales: “But it is important that people understand that genetic risk is just one piece of the bigger puzzle. It does no...