Robot Surgeons Are Coming; Pokemon GO’s Security Risks

Posted July 28th, 2016 at 11:49 am (UTC-4)
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Today’s Tech Sightings:

FILE - A doctor uses a computer to operate on a patient with a surgical robot in Hefei, Anhui province Sept. 24, 2014.

FILE – A doctor uses a computer to operate on a patient with a surgical robot in Hefei, Anhui province Sept. 24, 2014.

New Crop of Robots to Vie for Space in the Operating Room

One in three surgeries in the United States are likely to be performed by robotics systems within the next five years, which is more than double the current levels. The approach will have surgeons sitting at computer consoles to guide and manipulate the robotic arms. But the technology is not confined to the United States. Companies developing these systems plan to expand to India, China and other emerging markets.

Why Pokémon GO Is a Security Risk to Your Company

The hugely popular augmented reality game, Pokemon GO, has been cropping up in all sorts of real life places, some of them dangerous, as players hunt for Pokemon characters. The game uses mobile GPS location settings, clock and camera to layer Pokemon characters over real life venues. But in addition to attracting crooks, the settings pose a significant security threat to companies whose employees are hooked on the game.

Facebook Is Pushing More People to an App They Didn’t Choose

Facebook has been on a mission to nudge and steer users toward its Messenger app for direct communication. Many users took issue with that approach, although about 900 million people ended up using Messenger. Now, Facebook is blocking access to mobile messages on Android and intends to extend the ban to iOS as well.

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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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