Tech Sightings, May 14, 2014

Posted May 14th, 2014 at 2:00 pm (UTC-4)
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Samsung Apologizes for Sick, Dying Workers in Its Factories

Samsung apologized this week for not taking action to help sickened workers in some of its factories. Some of the workers died from their illnesses. One of the company’s CEOs said in a press conference a third-party agency will determine the amount of compensation the families of the victims will receive.

Custom-Built Robot to Probe Fukushima Leaks

A U.S.-built robot, designed to search for leaks from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant’s crippled reactors, is equipped with a mechanical arm with radiation-shielded cameras that will enable it to probe through a hole in the main floor of the reactor building, most of which is off-limits to humans.

South African Students Win US Prize for Fire-Alert Innovation

Students from the University of Cape Town have won a People’s Choice Award for a low-cost fire detection device for shack-dwellers. The project, named Khusela, which means “protect,” is an integrated alert service that fills a gap for South Africa’s shack-dwellers, where there is no fire-fighting infrastructure.

Iran women Flout Dress Code in Facebook Campaign

Thousands of Iranian women have come together in a Facebook campaign codenamed “Stealthy Freedoms of Women in Iran.” The campaign calls for greater social freedoms and includes pictures of the women flouting Iran’s Islamic dress code required of all women.

Dirge to Dogecoin: Cryptocurrency Doomed to Failure

A cyberattack that took place weeks after Dogecoin’s 2013 release left users without their coins. A donation fundraiser covered the stolen Dogecoin. But another attack took place last week, underscoring the vulnerability of cryptocurrencies to theft and raising more doubts about their viability as serious currency.

Stealing From Nature: Incredible New Tech Inspired by Biology

A professor of computer science at the university of Nottingham, Dr. Uwe Aickelin, has developed software that mimics the way human cells react when the body is attacked by a virus. The software, which picks up on traffic bombardments associated with spam, is suited to users facing frequent new threats and is already being used by leading security companies.

Korea to Invest $34 Million in Mobile CPU Core Development

Korean officials have announced a roadmap to develop next-generation mobile CPU cores locally, starting with a government investment in mid-tier CPU cores that local chip designers who outsource manufacturing can handle with their technology.

Aida Akl
Aida Akl is a journalist working on VOA's English Webdesk. She has written on a wide range of topics, although her more recent contributions have focused on technology. She has covered both domestic and international events since the mid-1980s as a VOA reporter and international broadcaster.

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