French robot uses ‘artificial taste’ to judge art

Strolling through the exhibition halls of Paris Quai Branly museum of indigenous art, a little robot in a bowler hat has learned to become a silent art critic. The Berenson robot, developed in France in 2011 and named after American art expert Bernard Berenson, is the brainchild of anthropologist Denis Vidal and robotics engineer Philippe Gaussier. Feb 24, 2016

Zero Days: Director says US government secrecy trend appalling

The US government developed a cyberwar capacity to cripple Irans military defences, power plants and other infrastructure in case diplomatic attempts to curtail its nuclear programme failed, a documentary film shown in Berlin says. The film Zero Days by veteran documentary maker Alex Gibney, being shown in competition for the Berlin International Film Festivals top Golden Bear prize, says the USs National Security Agency (NSA) developed a cyberwar programme dubbed Nitro Zeus that it hoped would bring Iran to its knees in the event of hostilities. Feb 18, 2016