Technology for Good - episode sixteen with Xerox' Catherine Reeves

Welcome to episode sixteen of the Technology for Good hangout. In this week’s episode we had Catherine Reeves from Xerox as a guest on the show. We had a lot of very interesting stories to talk about this week, especially in the energy and transportation spaces. It was great to get Catherine’s contributions given that Xerox has such a large footprint now in the transportation sector.

Here’s the stories that we discussed in this week’s show:

Climate

Western Antarctic ice sheet collapse has already begun, scientists warn http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/may/12/western-antarctic-ice-sheet-collapse-has-already-begun-scientists-warn

Last Month Was The Second Warmest April Ever Recorded http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/05/14/3437672/second-warmest-april/

This is extreme’: Wildfires strike early, hard in Southern California http://edition.cnn.com/2014/05/14/us/san-diego-wildfire/index.html

Energy

College students design home with $2 energy bills http://grist.org/list/college-students-design-home-with-2-energy-bills/

Microsoft gets into the home automation game with Insteon partnership http://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-gets-into-the-home-automation-game-with-insteon-partnership/

Here’s A Way Of Turning America’s Roads Into Gigantic Solar Panels http://www.businessinsider.com/solar-roadways-profile-2014-5#ixzz31hQ4jdBN

A Japanese startup unveils a long-lasting and safer battery made from carbon http://gigaom.com/2014/05/13/a-japanese-startup-unveils-a-long-lasting-and-safer-battery-made-from-carbon/

Unplug ghost servers, save a bundle http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9248236/Unplug_ghost_servers_save_a_bundle

Transportation

Urban Engines launches to use data to make city transportation better http://gigaom.com/2014/05/15/urban-engines-launches-to-use-data-to-make-city-transportation-better/

Xerox Joins Auto Makers To Build Smart Car Testing Ground http://www.cruxialcio.com/xerox-joins-auto-makers-build-smart-car-testing-ground-7265

Google Maps adds public transport data across UK http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/may/14/google-maps-adds-public-transport-data-across-uk

Here’s What It’s Like to Go for a Ride in Google’s Robot Car http://recode.net/2014/05/13/googles-self-driving-car-a-smooth-test-ride-but-a-long-road-ahead/

What it is like to own a Tesla Model S http://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla_model_s

Internet of Things

Harvard’s robotic bees aim to pollinate crops, search for survivors in rubble http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/techflash/2014/05/havards-robotic-bees-aim-to-pollinate-crops-search.html?page=all

Internet of Things technologies that will actually make a difference http://www.newelectronics.co.uk/electronics-blogs/internet-of-things-technologies-that-will-actually-make-a-difference/60404/

Wearables

LG Lifeband Touch and Heart Rate Earphones hit the US on May 18 http://gigaom.com/2014/05/13/lg-lifeband-and-heart-rate-earphones-hit-the-us-on-may-18/

Stealth startup alert: Skype co-founder ventures into health and wearables with Project Florida http://gigaom.com/2014/05/13/stealth-startup-alert-skype-co-founder-ventures-into-health-and-wearables-with-project-florida/

Misc

EFF Report – who has your back? https://www.eff.org/who-has-your-back-government-data-requests-2014

Samsung-Apple Smartphone Battleground Is Single Atom Thick http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-15/samsung-apple-smartphone-battleground-is-single-atom-thick-tech.html

Code .org: 20K teachers introduced coding lessons to K-12 students since Dec http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/11/us/reading-writing-arithmetic-and-lately-coding.html

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