If they say the clothes make the person, can special clothes make the first responder? The Intelligence Advanced Projects Research Activity (IARPA) wants to find out. It has launched a program to create trousers that look ordinary, but can record audio, video, and location data. Will Smart Electrically Powered and Networked Textile Systems, or smarty pants, be in a clothing store near you. Federal Drive Host Tom Temin wondered, so he talked, in studio, with IARPA Program Manager Dr. Dawson Cagle.
Like it or not, windmills and solar panels won't be sufficient to power the U.S. economy and Americans' way of life. Nuclear power will be part of the mix. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found, licensing of advanced reactors, of widely varying sizes, are stuck at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
Federal contractors get plenty of feedback from the government. But outside of protests, the notion of a 360-degree evaluation doesn't exactly operate here, until now, maybe.
In today's Federal Newscast: A senator and congressman are moving to end government shutdowns once and for all. The Office of the National Cyber Director is developing a new cyber-posture report to help evaluate the current state of American cybersecurity. And victims exposed to Camp Lejeune's contaminated water have a new way to resolve their claims.
The detailed work in Congress is done not by members, but rather by the 30,000-odd staff members. Right now, a group of overworked, and probably underpaid, minions are what they call "conferencing" over one of the most important yearly laws: the National Defense Authorization Act.
Is quantum computing the next big thing or forever in the future? The answer lies in whether there's a practical way to make the crucial components for quantum computers. Now they require expensive, bulky and energy-intensive super-cooling, like to nearly absolute zero.
The Labor Department has revived an old idea: Salaried private-sector employees who work overtime. Well, you can't just compensate them with pizza. A rule proposed last week would mandate overtime for people making up to $55,000 a year. The current ceiling is $35,000.
Few people know the innards of Defense department finance, as well as Bob Hale. He was comptroller and chief financial officer. He was an assistant Air Force secretary for financial management.