State-run healthcare websites aren’t as secure as you’d think

Health insurance websites in California, Kentucky and Vermont apparently aren’t as secure as they should be. According to the Associated Press, based on the vulnerabilities found by the Government Accountability Office, other states’ health care websites could be just as ripe for intrusions. Without naming names, the GAO reported that one state didn’t encrypt passwords, another didn’t have the right type of encryption server-side and the last anonymous state failed to “properly use a filter to block hostile attempts” to visit its site.

The scary part is that some of the issues still exist, even though the GAO’s examination concluded last March. Former Kentucky governor Steve Beshear says that no information was compromised and there were never any security breaches, however. The GAO says that Healthcare.gov isn’t much better about security either, but, that like Kentucky, private data has not been lost or pilfered despite numerous “security incidents.” Comforting!

It isn’t all unsettling news though. From the sounds of it, the Golden State’s Covered California site is trying its best to prevent intrusions and fix any new holes since the GAO’s investigation concluded. There’s a joke that could be made here about the government’s attitude toward encryption given current events, but I’m going to let the comment section sort that one out.

Source: Associated Press

BMW to bring the HTC Vive into the vehicle development process

Luxury car manufacturer BMW has announced that it will begin using the HTC Vive as a part of its vehicle development process. According to BMW, employing the HTC Vive will allow it to iterate on vehicle designs much more quickly, enabling developers around the globe to quickly implement and test changes.

BMW notes that, while it has been using virtual reality systems as part of its development process since the 1990s, the HTC Vive is a much more cost-effective solution than previous systems while offering adequate power. BMW’s decision to implement the HTC Vive in its design process follows an evaluation period that occurred throughout 2015, with the company noting several developer kits have already been used in pilot projects since last autumn.

Press Release

BMW opts to incorporate HTC Vive VR headsets and mixed reality into the development of new vehicle models. Computer images instead of laboriously constructed draft models: greater flexibility, faster results and lower costs.

Munich. BMW has become the first car manufacturer to introduce a mixed reality system into vehicle development that has been devised entirely using components from the computer games industry. This offers some significant advantages over the VR systems that have existed to date, and is the first step towards making virtual reality a very real part of many developer workstations in the not-too-distant future.

The adoption of this computer system makes it possible to save a great deal of time and effort, especially during the early stages of development. VR investigations could previously only be conducted at costly specialised facilities. By incorporating consumer electronics, the developers gain an unprecedented degree of flexibility, because any modifications can be implemented and tested very quickly. In addition to this, developers around the globe will be able to take part in the decision-making process from their own office without having to travel too far. Only once the draft designs have been approved with the help of the 3D headsets will they actually be built for further testing.

BMW has been employing VR systems in the development process since the 1990s. It is now reaffirming its pioneering status by systematically implementing technology from a sector which has not previously been the focal point of industrial applications. Since this spring, components from the computer games industry have been allowing engineers and designers to immerse themselves more and more often in virtual worlds that are increasingly realistic. The shorter innovation cycles of consumer electronics result in a far wider scope of functions together with lower costs. This thereby enables more vehicle functions to be translated to a VR model in ever more realistic fashion. It is furthermore possible to scale the system to many different developer workstations with little effort.

This lends itself ideally to the BMW strategy with its focus on innovative technologies and digitisation. Vehicle functions and new interior designs can quickly be modelled with the aid of the visual experiences. This makes it possible to simulate drives through a city while testing what the all-round view of the surrounding area is like or whether a display is poorly legible or awkward to reach depending on the viewing angle or seat position. All the time, the development engineer has the impression of sitting in a real car in a real driving situation.

Following thorough evaluation over the course of 2015, BMW has opted to implement the most powerful solutions currently available. Thanks to the timely support provided by mobile computing manufacturer HTC, several HTC Vive developer kits have already been in use in pilot projects since autumn 2015.

This headset’s core components consist of two high-resolution screens and a laser-based tracking system that covers an area of 5 x 5 metres in the BMW application. The graphics are computed by software that normally serves to produce the very best computer gaming graphics. BMW uses Unreal Engine 4 from Epic Games for this task. This enables stable rendering of 90 frames per second while achieving photo-realistic quality too. The computation is performed using high-end gaming computers with water-cooled, overclocked components (including Intel Core i7 and two Nvidia Titan X graphic cards). Further advances are expected in terms of both the headset hardware and software, and these will be evaluated at regular intervals.

Visual sensations alone are not enough though. For this reason, BMW employs a reusable interior assembly which, thanks to the use of rapid prototyping, further enhances perception by producing a mixed reality experience. Precise, stereoscopic acoustic playback, e.g. for the characteristic BMW engine sound, further intensifies the immersive experience. This, combined with the VR model enables to experience the vehicle in different environments. The completely realistic vehicle impression produced by this method is so far unique in the automotive industry.

The HTC Vive Lighthouse tracking system that is used floods the room with an invisible light field that is tracked by sensors on the VR headset and the controllers. The system’s lasers refresh the tracking field at intervals of just a few milliseconds, thereby enabling ultra-precise tracking of every body movement and even the slightest alteration in the viewing direction. It is thanks to this supremely accurate and stable tracking that the wearer is able to move around in the virtual environment with zero interference – this is essential not just for creating a spatial impression that is as true to life as possible and maximising the level of immersion, but also for making the VR headset easy to get accustomed to. The overall mixed reality system that was developed in-house by BMW ensures optimum interaction between the individual devices and components, such as the VR model, rapid prototyping, VR headset and tracking.

Facebook Messenger will soon let you scan profile codes to start chats

Facebook Messenger is evolving into a new type of messenger that’s not just for chatting with friends.

Facebook’s messaging service can double as a customer service center, digital wallet, cab-hailer, and more. With these types functionality being offered through the Messenger mobile app, it makes since that Facebook would want to make it even easier for users to find and begin chatting with anyone and everyone. It wants Messenger to be a one-stop-shop communication tool for both people and companies.

So, it’s rolling out new ways to initiate chats. Starting now, all Messenger accounts have dedicated links located at m.me/[username]. Every Facebook account has its own dedicated link, and now Messenger accounts do too. If you type in a friend’s username after m.me/, it’ll open up a chat with them on the Facebook Messenger website. Usernames on Messenger are the same as Facebook usernames.

Facebook is also rolling out “Messenger Codes”. They’re a lot like Snapchat’s snapcodes in that you can scan one with your camera to, from what we can tell, either add that person as a contact or start a chat. These codes appear as dots and dashes circling a profile photo, and the button to scan them seems to be buried under the People tab within the Messenger app. Go there, then tap Scan Code, and that’s it.

Keep in mind Facebook announced yesterday that Newegg will begin offering customer support through Facebook Messenger. It also recently added the ability to order Lyft and Uber rides, get flight updates and boarding passes from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, and share Spotify playlists. There are over 50 apps integrated with Messenger, meaning the service is rapidly expanding beyond a simple communication client.

Facebook said Messenger Codes are rolling out gradually. Alongside these announcements, David Marcus, a leader at Messenger, said the service now has 900 million monthly active users. It had 800 million just three months ago.

Facebook

Dyson’s new V8 cordless vacuum has double the battery life of predecessors

Dyson is launching a new cordless vacuum known as the V8.

The V8 has a digital motor and lithium-ion batteries, both of which allow the floor-cleaner to deliver more power over a longer runtime.

Dyson is positioning this compact machine as something different from every other cleaner that uses a motor to generate suction. Some cordless vacuum cleaners use small motors, which Dyson has described as weak, while others rely on heavy motors that can “compromise versatility”. But the V8 is unique and stands out from the competition because it has a digital motor that can spin at up to 110,000rpm.

The Dyson V8 also has something called a “fade-free suction” and can quickly transform between handheld and stick modes. Weighing just 2.6kg, the vacuum provides up to double the run time of its predecessor and features an even more powerful suction and less noise generated compared to its predecessors. It also has a hygienic dirt ejector system that prevents debris from being trapped in the bin.

“As the bin is emptied, a rubber collar slides down the shroud, scraping dirt off. This enables the user to hygienically drive out trapped dust and debris in a single action, with no need to touch the dirt,” explained Dyson. “Additionally, the bin has larger capacity than previous machines.”

Going back to the runtime for a moment, Dyson said the V8’s battery is a key component of the vacuum, as it offers up to 40 minutes, compared to 20 minutes on previous-generation machines. The battery is a “fade-free lithium-ion”, which supposedly equals a suction that starts strong and stays strong. In fact, it provides 115AW of suction, compared to a max of 100AW on previous-generation machines.

There’s a new battery runtime indicator too, which gives you a visual indication of cleaning time remaining. The Dyson V8 is also 50 per cent quieter than previous-generation machines. And of course there is no cord. So, there’s nothing to unravel, plug in, or drag around.

Instead, the V8 is equipped with a docking and charging station, allowing you to grab and clean whenever.

This could be Motorola’s 2016 flagship smartphone

It appears as though Lenovo-owned Motorola has been working on a new flagship that’ll likely release this year.

HelloMotoHK is known for publishing leaked photos of yet-to-be-announced Motorola products, and now it’s at it again with what seems to be a leaked photograph of an unknown Motorola smartphone spotted in the wild. The image looks like it was taken on a subway train or bus, leading us to believe it was snapped in a busy city like Chicago, where Motorola US is headquartered.

The picture is blurry because the photographer probably had to zoom in from a distance, but we can still make out the Motorola batwing logo in the top left corner of the phone, as well as sensors and a camera on the top and more. There might even be a fingerprint sensor on the front and maybe even a USB Type-C charging port below that. It’s hard to tell, so this is speculation for now.

All we know is that this phone is unknown and likely a Motorola flagship based on some of the hardware features that are recognisable. And this is one of the first leaks to suggest the company is even working on a new, high-end smartphone. Expect many more months to pass before we hear anything official from Motorola, as the company typically releases phones near autumn.

Also, keep in mind a new Motorola device referred to as the Moto X3 recently surfaced on shipping website Zauba.

HelloMotoHK

Facebook has yet another inbox for hidden messages: Here’s how to find it

You could have hidden Facebook messages that you didn’t know about and might actually want to read.

And, no, we’re not talking about Facebook’s “Other” tab, which is probably something you’ve heard about, even though Facebook has purposely made it somewhat hard to find. It’s where messages received by strangers or people you aren’t friends with are stored. It’s like a spam folder, but unfortunately, a lot of messages from real people can be delivered there and end up lost forever until you find them waiting.

Facebook, however, recently enabled a notification for message requests from non-Facebook friends. It also separates these messages on desktop into a “Message requests” folder. The same folder can be accessed from the Facebook mobile app under Settings (Settings > People > Message Requests). But did you know Facebook has an entirely different area for even more hidden messages?

This area could probably be considered Facebook’s other, other inbox. For whatever reason, the social network now notifies people of message requests, though it still tucks away what it considers spam into a place you’ve probably never seen before but would like to find.

Facebook Messenger: Where is the other, other inbox?

Desktop

• Log in to Facebook
• Click on Inbox (top-right corner of site, next to Friend Requests button)
• Select Message Requests (top of pop-up window, next to Recents)
• Scroll down and click See Filtered Requests (bottom of pop-up window)
• Select See All to open pop-up window into full-screen page

Mobile apps

• Open Facebook Messenger app
• Tap on Settings (far right of bottom navigation bar)
• Tap People section (below Notifications section)
• Tap Message Requests (near the top of screen)
• Tap See Filtered Requests (at the bottom screen)

And that’s it. 

You’re welcome.

Facebook updates Search to better promote Live Video

Following the debut of new Facebook Live features yesterday, the social site announced on Thursday that it is adjusting its Search functionality to help users uncover Live video content more easily. For one, any Live video that’s trending will appear in the general search results — assuming it’s relevant to what you’re searching for, of course. Facebook is also rolling out a dedicated Live search function that trawls exclusively through video content that’s been shared with you.

Source: Facebook

Call Sweden’s national number and talk to a random Swede now

The news almost reads like an Onion headline: Sweden, the country, has got its very own telephone number. And you can call it anytime you like to chat with a random Swede about, well, anything really. The quirky announcement is the work of the Swedish Tourist Association, which has created the number as a 250th anniversary tribute to the country’s abolishment of censorship. It’s an initiative designed to highlight the country’s commitment to freedom of expression in a time when, according to the tourism board’s CEO Magnus Ling, “many countries try to limit communication between people.” But before you open the dialer on your cellphone, be aware that the call is not toll-free and you will be charged local and international rates.

In the spirit of ‘why not?’ (and because I have some Google Voice credits to burn), I called the number hoping to engage a Swede in some discussion about Weezer’s new album. The results were disappointing. On my first attempt, I was connected to a Swedish man who rambled a bunch of very polite sounding Swedish noises into my ear. I asked if he spoke English, but then the line soon went dead. So I tried calling again. The second time, I had to wait a bit as a recorded message informed me that “a lot of people are calling Sweden right now.” Obviously. When I did manage to get through to another Swede, the call quality crapped out, prompting a handful of broken “hellos” back and forth and not much else.

I never did find out what Sweden thinks of Weezer’s White album… if they think it’s as good as Pinkerton. But maybe one of you intrepid folks can spare the change and bridge that social divide.

Source: The Swedish Number

Toyota’s developing a ‘guardian angel’ to take the wheel

Toyota’s taking a different approach to creating the self-driving cars of our future. Unlike other automakers and tech giants that have already begun investing time and resources into the space, the Japanese company’s developing a partially autonomous system to occasionally take the wheel. According to MIT Technology Review, the “guardian angel” feature, which is under development at Toyota Research Institute, would only temporarily take control from the driver during potentially hazardous moments.

Toyota’s hybridized take on self-driving comes in the wake of research that suggests drivers can take about eight seconds or more to readjust and gain control of a formerly fully autonomous vehicle. The “guardian angel” system could alleviate that disconnect by activating only to avoid a collision, much like automatic braking does.

Testing for this new system will soon be underway at a TRI location near Mt. Fuji in Japan, although the company also intends to run simulations at its US-based research facilities. To clear the system for eventual use in commercial vehicles, Toyota will first need to amass a trillion miles worth of road testing. And it’s hoping to do this with a combination of simulations and real-world driving. Further testing will also be carried out at TRI’s three US-based facilities, one of which is currently under construction.

Source: MIT Technology Review

Implantable computer chip could spot seizures before they start

Researchers from the University of Melbourne have teamed with IBM to develop an implantable computer chip capable of constantly monitoring the patient’s brain activity and, hopefully, predict when they’ll suffer an epileptic seizure. The chip is based on IBM’s TrueNorth technology and uses a neural network architecture — similar to the deep learning AIs that Facebook and Google have been toying with.

Much in the same way that neural networks can be taught to identify objects, the University of Melbourne team hopes to teach theirs to identify the electrical patterns that presage a seizure. “We’re trying to extract all the meaningful information from all the background noise,” University of Melbourne researcher Stefan Harrer told Wired. “We want to be able to detect a specific seizure for a specific patient.” But before they can teach the system to do that, the team needs a lot more raw data.

The system is still just a proof of concept, mind you. A recent test run, in which the chip was tasked with analyzing brain waves to guess whether the patient squeezed a ball with his right or left hand, only tallied a 76 percent accuracy rating. That’s about 10 points less than previous test simulations, though the researchers are confident that number will rise with further training. Unfortunately, that means we won’t see these devices in a medical setting for years. Until then, people with epilepsy will have to continue relying on their seizure response dogs. Harrer’s team is scheduled to present their findings at the ACM Computing Frontiers conference in May.

Via: Popular Science

Source: Wired