The hardware lottery is Sara Hooker’s idea that a research project succeeds not because of its capabilities but because of its fit with contemporary software and hardware. She raises this concept to try to spawn increased collaboration between hardware, software and machine-learning teams; in what she describes as “siloed evolution”, Hooker puts forth that the “gains from progress in computing will be increasingly uneven” without a restructuring of the development lifecycle. Instead of “settling for the hardware and software we have,” we need to develop in unison. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
