Categories
Gaming

The Lure of Emotionally-Complex Video Games | Undark

Maxine Caulfield, the primary character in the game Life is Strange, is an 18-year-old high school student with a passion for photography. She has lately returned to her homeland of Oregon, where she sees the killing of a blue-haired girl in a school bathroom. Maxine, who goes by the nickname Max, raises her hand and screams, “No!” The scene then abruptly reverses. Max retreats to the restroom and pushes the fire alarm, stopping the murder, knowing she has the possibility of turning back time. She eventually learns that the blue-haired girl is an old acquaintance named Chloe. The two form a partnership in order to discover out what’s behind a fellow student’s abrupt absence. 

Source: https://undark.org/2021/11/03/the-lure-of-emotionally-complex-video-games/ 

Categories
Drones

Tucson Police Helicopter Chased Eerily Similar Craft Five Years Before Recent Mystery Drone Incident | The Drive

In the skies over Tucson, Arizona, in February 2021, a Customs and Border Protection aircraft came upon a perplexingly powerful drone that could operate like no other unmanned aircraft the aircrew had ever seen. That helicopter requested backup from a Tucson Police Department chopper, but the unmanned aircraft was able to outpace both of them. The object has yet to be recognized. However, it appears to be a big quadcopter-like platform with a single softly lighted green position light. The two flight crews that followed the unmanned plane stated it was extremely agile, had a long endurance, and had a high flight ceiling. All of this, along with an incredible level of situational awareness, allowed it to effectively fly circles around both seasoned helicopter crews. 

Source: https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/43170/helicopter-chased-eerily-similar-craft-five-years-before-recent-tucson-mystery-drone-incident 

Categories
Cyber Security

German firm acquires ex-Mossad chief’s cybersecurity startup for $700m | Times of Israel

XM Cyber, an Israeli software company, co-founded by former Mossad leader Tamir Pardo, is being bought for $700 million by Germany’s Schwarz Group, a multinational retail conglomerate with $140 billion in annual revenue. According to the official statement, XM Cyber will keep operating freely and provide its services under its present brand and support network. The Schwarz Group, Europe’s largest retailer, owns Lidl and Kaufland, two large grocery stores. Last year, the multinational announced that it was developing its own cloud computing platform for retailers, dubbed Stackit, to compete with AWS (Amazon Web Services), Microsoft, and other huge cloud providers. 

Source: https://www.timesofisrael.com/german-firm-acquires-ex-mossad-chiefs-cybersecurity-startup-for-700m/ 

Categories
Artificial Intelligence

Europe’s AI laws will cost companies a small fortune – but the payoff is trust | Venture Beat

The European Union announced its planned artificial intelligence regulations earlier this year and solicited input from dozens of businesses and individuals. The European Commission’s consultation period ended in August, and the European Parliament will now examine the issue further. Its emphasis is on control and monitoring, especially for AI systems deemed “high risk,” such as those used in education or employment choices, rather than simply prohibiting some usage (for example, face detection for authentication in public settings and social “scoring”). To join the market, every company with a high-risk software product will need a Conformité Européenne (CE) badge. The product must be designed to be monitored by people, to minimize automation bias, and to be accurate to a level commensurate with its intended usage. 

Source: https://venturebeat.com/2021/11/21/europes-ai-laws-will-cost-companies-a-small-fortune-but-the-payoff-is-trust/ 

Categories
Drones

How US drone pilots are preparing for a fight against enemies who actually could knock them out of action | Business Insider

Drone warfare has become an integral part of US military operations and they will continue to be, but in a potential near-peer conflict, they will not enjoy the operational freedom they currently do. They will no doubt be less effective against more advanced enemies but as our tech improves their roles may expand.