By Nick Wakeman
Mar 12, 2021
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency wants to explore how artificial intelligence-enabled assistants can provide guidance in the form of just-in-time visual and audio feedback to help users expand their skillsets and minimize errors or mistakes.
In the Perceptually-enabled Task Guidance (PTG) program, humans would wear microphones sensors, head-mounted cameras and an augmented reality headset that all send and receive data. The system could help medics or mechanics, for example, by understanding what they’re working on and offering AR-based instructions to help them perform complex tasks.
“These sensor platforms generate tons of data around what the user is seeing and hearing, while AR headsets provide feedback mechanisms to display and share information or instructions,” said Bruce Draper, a program manager in DARPA’s Information Innovation Office. “Developing virtual assistants that can provide substantial aid to human user
By Itay Bengad
Mar 12, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has made shockingly clear how thin emergency medical services teams have been spread. It’s a reality that many teams endured before the pandemic and it will continue to experience once it’s over. As a result, EMS teams must carefully allocate their emergency response resources to properly address every potential scenario. However, in one such scenario the car accident first responders face critical operational and technological challenges in dispatching the appropriate resources. Because they have no real-time data from the scene of the accident, EMS teams must depend on witness reports, forcing them to make assumptions when it comes to sending personnel and vehicles to the scene. Not only do these haphazard decisions have implications on the health of the accident victims, but they could cost EMS teams time and money that are already too sparse to be wasted.
As artificial intelligence advances, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency wants to treat computers more as partners in helping solve complex military problems.
While no federal agencies have yet been compromised by the vulnerabilities found in Microsoft Exchange, securing federal systems will be a long journey, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency officials said.
By Sophie Quinton
Mar 11, 2021
The mammoth COVID-19 relief bill headed to President Joe Biden’s desk includes $195 billion in direct aid to states and the District of Columbia and $130 billion in direct aid for cities and counties. States with more unemployed residents will get a greater share of the money.
Under the final bill, states and localities would have to use the funds to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and economic downturn through measures such as assisting small businesses, boosting essential worker pay, funding government services affected by a revenue shortfall or making infrastructure investments.
Governments can’t use the money to pay for tax cuts or to shore up pension funds.