Technology

By Tim Higgins WSJ Thu., Jan. 17, 2019 LAS VEGAS—At a command center near the airport here, executives from automotive supplier Aptiv PLC showed why deploying robot cars will be far more complicated than many envisioned just a few years ago. With people in town for the annual CES tech show, Aptiv revealed its new operations with more than 300 people, rows of computer monitors and a 30-foot video screen. It’s all to track and keep a fleet of 75 autonomous cars operating. Thirty of those vehicles make up the 20-hours-a-day operation for passengers on Lyft Inc.’s app, taking riders across a 17-square-mile area around the Strip. Those cars already have made about 30,000 Lyft trips. “What was underappreciated by the industry is how long and how difficult it would be to industrialize the technology,” said Karl Iagnemma, president of Aptiv’s autonomous mobility. “Industrywide that recognition has dawned.” The hype that has … [Read more...] about Driverless Cars Tap the Brakes After Years of Hype

By Kimberly Chin WSJ Thu., Jan. 17, 2019 Johnson & Johnson said Thursday that it has joined with Apple Inc. on a research study that will test the Apple Watch’s ability to help detect early irregular heart conditions in certain people before something life-threatening happens. Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., which is a part of J&J’s family of research and development companies, will work on the study. The company will use its J&J-developed heart health monitoring app on the Apple Watch, which will help detect the irregular heart rhythms of people living with atrial fibrillation, a type of heart arrhythmia that makes them more prone to strokes. “We’re excited about the potential of common, wearable technology to aid in the earlier detection and prevention of a frequent cause of stroke,” said J&J Chief Scientific Officer Paul Stoffels, M.D. in prepared remarks. J&J said the study will help measure the efficacy of the … [Read more...] about Johnson & Johnson to Use Apple Watch App for Heart-Health Study

Jan 17, 9:53 AM EST Newsletter Signup BusinessTechnologyWorldNationalMedia & CultureOpinionSportsLuxury Technology By Micah Ong 01/17/19 AT 7:10 AM SpaceX will be building the Starship and Raptor in Texas instead of Los Angeles, according to a recent statement from the launch company. But while it was initially believed that the full-scale vehicles will be developed in the Texas facility, SpaceX CEO and founder Elon Musk has now clarified that this only applies to the test vehicles.In a statement released Wednesday, SpaceX said that the company has decided to build and test the Mars spaceship and its rocket booster system in south Texas instead of the originally planned Port of Los Angeles. The move was apparently made to "streamline operations."However, Musk later said on Twitter that only the prototypes were being put together in Texas, and the actual Starship and Raptor engine will still be built in California. The confusion apparently … [Read more...] about Elon Musk Clarifies SpaceX Mars Spaceship, Rocket Booster Texas Move Announcement

By Leigh Kamping-Carder WSJ Thu., Jan. 17, 2019 In the weld shop of Toyota Motor North America’s 1.8-million-square-foot plant in Woodstock, Ontario, amid the clanking of robotic arms and the occasional spray of sparks, two workers inspect the steel frame of a future RAV4. The men raise their arms overhead as they move ultrasonic wands over metal to test the integrity of dozens of welds. Until a few months ago, this task was performed by seated workers wielding hammers and chisels. But the latest RAV4 uses a lighter, stronger steel that requires ultrasonic testing. A new frame arrives every 60 seconds. The prolonged reaching is shoulder-breaking work, the kind that can lead to debilitating injuries and decreased productivity. But these workers are assisted by exoskeletons, wearable devices made by Levitate Technologies, a San Diego-based startup. The upper-body frames use a system of springs, cables and pulleys to transfer weight from the arms to the outside … [Read more...] about Industrial Exoskeletons Give Workers a Lift

By Chuin-Wei Yap WSJ Thu., Jan. 17, 2019 The federal pursuit of theft charges against Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies Co. enlists the criminal-justice system in the defense against China’s encroachment on intellectual property—an emerging U.S. strategy. It is the second case in four months where federal prosecutors have built criminal allegations on civil litigation, risking uncertain outcomes as a verdict isn’t guaranteed. The Trump administration wants to use indictments, along with export controls and other policy tools, as part of an arsenal to counter Chinese theft of trade and technology secrets, which U.S. officials increasingly view as part of national security. That has meant a more aggressive effort to convert corporate squabbles into criminal charges. The federal investigation, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, into whether Huawei stole trade secrets from U.S. business partners arose from civil lawsuits, including one in … [Read more...] about U.S. Adds Criminal Courts to Its Fight Against Chinese Theft of Trade Secrets