Newsletter Volume 29 Issue 8, Aug 2017
From The Editor
“Government service delivery agencies that can’t “answer the friggin’ phones” should not be spending time and money exploring exciting new areas like big data analytics, artificial intelligence and gamification, argues the Commonwealth’s former chief digital officer Paul Shetler.”
The above quote is from a 02.08.2017 article by Stephen Easton in The Mandarin, titled Paul Shetler: forget high tech fantasies if you can’t answer the phones. Yes, it is another round in the bout between Paul Shetler and the Australian Public Service, continuing on from Single sites like gov.au are old hat, says NSW CIDO Damon Rees, also by Stephen Easton, and Paul Shetler: change, not ‘change management’, by Paul Shetler himself. See below, Award Winning Innovation or High Tech Fantasy?
“Clinical trials that test changes in the design or use of high-risk medical devices are often poorly designed, and can rely on inadequate or potentially biased data, according to a new study”
The above quote is from an August 15, 2017 ScienceDaily article based on materials provided by University of California – San Francisco. The article notes that “the authors reviewed clinical trials supporting U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of changes to high-risk devices over the last decade. They found that fewer than half of these studies were randomized, blinded, or controlled — the “gold standards” for clinical trials of drugs.” See below, Changes to high-risk medical devices often supported by low-quality research.
“The profound changes ahead demand an education approach that will provide young people with enduring capabilities and skills to harness the opportunities of technological change.
The above quote is from a 17.08.2017 article in The Mandarin by NSW Department of Education. The article is an extract of a discussion paper, Education Future Frontiers: The implications of AI, automation and 21st century skills needs, from the NSW Department of Education. See below, AI, automation & 21st century skills needs: what do they mean for education.
As if AI did not have enough on its plate, scientists are now teaching it to do magic tricks. A 9 August 2017 ScienceDaily article by Queen Mary University of London explains how. “New magic tricks are constantly being created. This research provides the magic community with another tool to use to this end, and the scientific community with some further insight into the possible uses and implications of applied computational creativity.” See below, Artificial intelligence uses internet searches to help create mind association magic trick.
Current Issue
Articles in the current Issue cover:
Award Winning Innovation or High Tech Fantasy?
“Centrelink says a huge surge of complaints from its customers last year came after the welfare agency made it easier for clients to express their unhappiness.
But critics say the long-term trend of dissatisfied customers tells the story of an organisation in crisis.”
Changes to high-risk medical devices often supported by low-quality research
“I think there has to be more public and congressional calls to have reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness before devices are approved …. Until then, all we know is that a lot of devices on the market haven’t been shown to be safe or effective.”
AI, automation & 21st century skills needs: what do they mean for education
“Unlike the teaching of literacy and numeracy, there is not the extensive body of evidence for schools to draw on about effective teaching practice for some of these skills.”
Artificial intelligence uses internet searches to help create mind association magic trick
“ Overall, the effect for the spectators is magical, and has been brought about by the blending of human and computational design processes.”
QESP Blog
If you thought Trump was bad, check out those vintage ads from boredpanda: 23 Vintage Ads That Would Be Banned Today.
Events
The World’s Most Successful Awards Program
Consensus (www.consensus.com.au) runs a series of Awards Programs that identify the most innovative technology designed and developed in Australia (and some in New Zealand). Over 450 evaluations of innovation have been conducted by the 130 independent Judges since the Awards were started in 2000. Recent independent analysis of the Winners of the Awards (approx 150) shows that 9 out of 10 (90%) of the Winners of Consensus Awards have gone on to perform exceptionally well internationally. The same research showed that across the board, the companies have enjoyed over 1300% increase in sales or value since they have won Awards.
Based upon these achievements, Consensus can truly claim to be the World’s Most Successful Awards Program. The Hon Craig Laundy MP, Assistant Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science will present the 2017 Consensus Awards at a Gala Dinner on the evening of Friday 20th October. For further details, see The World’s Most Successful Awards Program.
Quotes
Quote of the Day
I’d rather check my Facebook than face my checkbook. – Craig Coelho
Quote from Yesteryear
The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong, it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair. ? Douglas Adams
Ted Smillie
QESP Chair