$12m in government seed funding for SMEs

The Morrison Government is calling on the nation’s small and medium sized businesses to help develop innovative solutions to solve national environmental challenges.

Smart solutions need the human touch

A lot of supposedly ‘smart’ software doesn’t take human needs into account, or is designed to fit commercial imperatives rather than empower consumer choices.

Meet your new robot health coach

New research shows “social robots” can help people lose weight by delivering multiple sessions of advice and support without the need for human intervention.

Science needs to look inward to move forward

Robust science depends on encouraging and incentivising more open and transparent practices in research – now, metascientists are looking at what works and what doesn’t.

The future of virtual reality in tourism

Tourism has been brought to a standstill around the world, but new doors are opening for virtual and augmented reality to reshape the industry as it edges towards recovery.

Watch the skies!

The release of footage from US Navy jets tracking fast moving, unidentified craft has rekindled interest in the possibility of alien visitors from distant worlds.

Beware the digital butler

Digital personal assistants from Apple, Google, Amazon and other tech giants may offer a degree of convenience, but users should be wary of them taking an ever greater interest in our personal affairs.

Facing up to facial recognition

Facial recognition technology is one tool in the fight against COVID-19, but once the pandemic ends, is surveillance tech going to entrench itself in our society?

Bring “bio-hackers” into the fold

Biohackers and other ‘connoisseurs of science’ have important social and scientific contributions to make and should be accepted into the established scientific community.

The internet v COVID-19

With a much greater number of us schooling, working and streaming from home during the COVID-19 crisis, what are the risks to our internet during the pandemic?

Medical research must deliver the solution

There is an urgent need for more coordinated funding to fight COVID-19, both in terms of improving treatment and eventually developing a vaccine if we are to get on top of the crisis.

Privacy v the pandemic

Government tracking of mobile phones could be a potent weapon against COVID-19 in helping to monitor possible contacts, however the use of such data raises a host of privacy questions.