Technology

The size of cruise ships, like the cruise industry itself, is growing. The biggest passenger vessels now carry more than 5,000 people, plus crew. The world's biggest cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas, has a total capacity of 8,970 people. So how do you keep track of so many people – particularly in the event of an emergency evacuation when panic, chaos and confusion reign. The old way would have been to check passengers off against a list – a slow and cumbersome process in an emergency. Now researchers and cruise companies are working together to test a wireless system – LYNCEUS - that is able to track and account for every passenger. To quickly find everyone, even in a crisis situation, the crew can use a wireless network that covers the entire ship and shows all the trackers on a computer screen. Tasos Kounoudes, chief executive of SignalGeneriX, said the system had the potential to save many lives. “Most people in the sea die not from drowning, but from … [Read more...] about Cruise industry gets on board with wireless technology

Criminal defendants are unable to challenge software used to send them to jail because makers of the for-profit technology claim their systems are a trade secret protected from disclosure.When information about computer codes and how the technology works is hidden from criminal defendants, the justice system is less fair, according to a New York Times op-ed by Rebecca Wexler, a fellow at the Legal Aid Society and a resident at the Data and Society Research Institute.“The root of the problem,” according to the op-ed, “is that automated criminal justice technologies are largely privately owned and sold for profit. The developers tend to view their technologies as trade secrets. As a result, they often refuse to disclose details about how their tools work, even to criminal defendants and their attorneys, even under a protective order, even in the controlled context of a criminal proceeding or parole hearing.”Wexler gives some examples. A computer system called … [Read more...] about Trade-secret claims hide details of technology that sends criminal defendants to jail

Updated: The Legal Services Corporation announced this week that it will grant more than $3.4 million to organizations looking to improve Web-based resources for low-income Americans.The money to 43 organizations in 25 states is meant to be used to enhance pro bono, expand websites for veterans and for disaster recovery, and to improve data collection and analysis. The data collection is a new grant category for the LSC.In a statement about the grants, LSC identified several recipients:• $63,739 to Idaho Legal Aid Services for development of a Web-based virtual law office. This project includes e-signature software, video conferencing, video court appearance software, and hybrid Voice Over Internet Protocol.• $118,475 to Prairie State Legal Services to better measure the effectiveness and impact of legal services in Illinois in order to improve delivery of services throughout the state.• $90,460 to Legal Aid Services of Northeastern Minnesota for a pro bono initiative … [Read more...] about LSC to Grant $3.4M for Technology to Improve Access to Justice

Home Daily News Supreme Court considers reach of old law… U.S. Supreme Court By Debra Cassens Weiss Posted February 28, 2018, 8:46 am CST The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday considered how to apply an old law to new technology during oral arguments on the ability of federal prosecutors to use a warrant to obtain a drug dealer’s emails stored on a Microsoft server overseas. The justices are being asked to interpret a 1986 law, the Stored Communications Act. According to the New York Times, the case represents “a clash between the demands of law enforcement and technology firms’ desire to shield the information they collect to protect their customers’ privacy.” USA Today, the National Law Journal, Politico and the Washington Post also covered the arguments. Deputy Solicitor General Michael Dreeben argued the law allows prosecutors to obtain the emails because Microsoft is based in the United States. “There is not an international problem … [Read more...] about Supreme Court considers reach of old law in case involving new technology

Home Daily News 60 tips, tricks and technologies to improve… ABA Techshow By Jason Tashea Posted March 10, 2018, 2:19 pm CST Shutterstock Updated: A free artificial intelligence legal research tool, accepting cryptocurrency at your firm and a way to get your tab addiction under control were just a fraction of the 60 tips and technologies shared in the last 60 minutes of ABA Techshow in Chicago. Hosted by Techshow co-chairs Debbie Foster and Tom Mighell alongside co-vice chairs Lincoln Mead and John Simek, the rapid-fire panel covered more ground than captured below. However, themes emerged around AI, cybersecurity, general digital well-being and practice management. Here is some of what the panel had to share: STEP INTO AI AI for legal briefs: EVA by ROSS Intelligence, CARA Research Suite and Judicata are just some of the options lawyers can use to leverage AI to improve their legal work. EVA, which is free, will tell a user if the cases they cite are still valid or if there … [Read more...] about 60 tips, tricks and technologies to improve your life and practice on and offline