AI Gains Relevance as It Further Fuels Safety, Healthcare and Learnings
Emerging Tech Roundup — March 18
The Quantious team’s top picks for timely trending news in the tech world.
This week in tech: Researchers recreate the feeling of physical touch controls, Google reaches compatibility with Apple iMessages, cyber insurance provider Cowbell Cyber Inc. receives more funding, an AI-powered tool could prevent infections, Amazon launches an educational, cloud-computing game, 300,000 hackers offer support to Ukraine, and Bear Robotics rolls out two new robots.
Temperature-changing Touchscreen Fools the Brain into Feeling Shapes/Textures
(Gizmodo, March 9)
A research team at Texas A&M University is working on the development of a touchscreen that mimics the sensation of physical controls for humans. Oftentimes, humans prefer physical controls or buttons instead of a touch screen. This technology will create friction and a temperature change wherever a user is tapping a touchscreen to better mimic the sensation a physical key or button induces in the brain.
Google’s Messages App Can Now Handle iMessage Reactions
(TechCrunch, March 10)
Google has announced a handful of new features that are coming to its Messages app. In the coming update, users can expect to see nudges to remind them of missed messages, compartmental business and personal messages, birthday reminders and iMessage reactions compatibility. The iMessage feature will initially roll out to English-set Androids and later on, other languages.
AI-powered Cybersecurity Insurance Provider Cowbell Cyber Raises $100M
(Silicon Angle, March 15)
Cowbell Cyber Inc. has just reached $100 million in new funding and prepares to “lead the second wave of cyber insurance growth.” The company provides cyber insurance to small-to-mid sized businesses. With its new funding, the cyber insurance provider plans to bridge insurability gaps, enhance its go-to-market strategy and invest in data science, risk engineering and claims management.
Microsoft and Portland Startup Pilot AI-powered Tool to Thwart Central Line Infection
(GeekWire, March 15)
Startup Synaptiq is launching its pilot program, aiming to help prevent infections brought on by central lines. The technology uses Microsoft Power Apps to study photographs for “improper line dressings” and hospitals that are interested in using it will pay a small fee.
Amazon Introduces A Metaverse-like Game to Train People How to Use AWS
(CNBC, March 15)
Amazon is using its new game to help users expand their knowledge and experience in cloud-computing. On Tuesday, the tech giant launched online game AWS Cloud Quest in which players are presented with various simulations to navigate through, mostly related to cloud-computing.
300,000 Volunteer Hackers Come Together to Fight Russia
(The Guardian, March 15)
A large group of 300,000 mostly-anonymous hackers has come together in a Telegram group to help Ukraine with their current struggle. The group hopes that by disrupting various popular Russian websites, Russia will face so much pressure that they will be “willing to re-evaluate” what’s happening and make a pivot in their current decisions.
SoftBank-backed Bear Robotics Raises $81M for Waitering Robot Rollout
(Reuters, March 16)
Foodservice startup Bear Robotics has reached $81 million in a new round of funding and has plans to introduce new capabilities in its suite of robots. One of the new robots will be able to detect air quality and the other will be capable of delivering to customers across multiple levels using an elevator.
