Computing

Computing

How to stop phone apps from spying on you

Many apps — especially free ones — collect data on a user and then sell them to advertisers. A new tool can help monitor that misuse of personal data and beef up privacy protection.

Tech

AI can guide us — or just entertain

Advances in artificial intelligence are changing the worlds of medicine, education and the arts.

Tech

Computers can translate languages, but first they have to learn

Translation programs are getting quite good at converting text from one language to another. Translating between three or more languages at once is trickier.

Tech

Seeing the world through a robot’s eyes

Engineers in California have developed a new kind of camera that aims to give drones, self-driving cars and other robots better vision.

Tech

Scientists Say: Radar

This is a system used to detect objects large and small. It works by sending out radio waves and waiting for them to bounce back.

Computing

Video games level up life skills

A new study shows that playing video games can sharpen important life skills, including communication, adaptability and resourcefulness.

Earth

Vinegar dissolves new electronics when they’re no longer needed

Now you see it, now you don't. A new lightweight, low-cost technology disintegrates in kitchen vinegar.

Computing

Math + teens + practice = a winning competition

Training for an Olympics of math helps students stretch their creativity and learn problem solving skills. If you like puzzles, you might want to check out these events.

Brain

When is an epileptic seizure about to strike?

Two high-school research projects suggest ways to identify early warnings of a coming epileptic seizure. This might give people time to free themselves from potentially dangerous activities.

Tech

Teaching robots right from wrong

Robots of the future will face tricky dilemmas. Researchers are working on tools to help robots make the right choices and keep people safe.

Physics

Single atoms become teensy data storage devices

Most people consider a thumb drive to be an amazingly small device for storing data. But this new system uses a ten-thousandth the number of atoms of today’s data-storage devices.

Computing

Germs power new paper batteries

New paper-based batteries rely on bacteria to generate electricity. These ‘papertronic’ power systems may be a safer choice for remote sites or dangerous environments.