Recent headlines declaring “Robot Kills Man in Germany” are examples of growing news coverage about the impact of robots on society. This is the subject of a new law review article by a University of Washington faculty member. (more…)
UD researcher explores player reactions to characters’ exaggerated physiques
College students playing Japanese fighting video games often object to the unrealistic depictions of the characters, drawn with exaggerated and highly sexualized physiques, but they say the mechanics of the game itself are more important to them. (more…)
AUSTIN, Texas — A computer science team at The University of Texas at Austin has found that robots evolve more quickly and efficiently after a virtual mass extinction modeled after real-life disasters such as the one that killed off the dinosaurs. Beyond its implications for artificial intelligence, the research supports the idea that mass extinctions actually speed up evolution by unleashing new creativity in adaptations. (more…)
Utah computer scientists discover how to find bias in algorithms
Software may appear to operate without bias because it strictly uses computer code to reach conclusions. That’s why many companies use algorithms to help weed out job applicants when hiring for a new position. (more…)
Conference explores ethical concerns as technology advances
The recent human-computer romance movie Her and the 1940s-era I, Robot series of short stories may have seemed far-fetched to audiences, but, according to philosophers who have considered the issue, similar situations may not be far in our future. (more…)
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Due to the ever-increasing number of people using social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, businesses and organizations, such as professional sports teams, are expanding their marketing and communication efforts to engage people with their brands through those sites. Now, Nicholas Watanabe, an assistant teaching professor at the University of Missouri, along with colleagues from MU and Louisiana State University, analyzed Major League Baseball (MLB) teams’ use of Twitter to engage and increase fan interest. They found that the more individual teams released original content from their Twitter accounts, such as score updates or player profiles, the more followers they gained and engagement they initiated. The researchers say their findings could provide guidance for many businesses struggling with how to use social media. (more…)
AUSTIN, Texas — Researchers in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a centimeter-accurate GPS-based positioning system that could revolutionize geolocation on virtual reality headsets, cellphones and other technologies, making global positioning and orientation far more precise than what is currently available on a mobile device. (more…)
What is radiant temperature? One way to think about radiant temperature is to think about stepping into a car on a hot summer day. The heat from the dash board and steering wheel can be hot to the touch and unbearable. The heat can linger for minutes until the cars air conditioner cools the cabin. In your home the fire place is often a form of radiant heat. In the days before electricity, the warmth from a fire could mean the difference between life and death during a harsh winter. Today many use space heaters as a form of radiant heat in the home.
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