JetBrains has announced the release of Datalore 1.0, which is an intelligent web application that can be used for data visualization and analysis in Python. Datalore provides data scientists with an intelligent Python code editor, intentions, incremental recalculations, collaborative features, and a version control system.

The 1.0 release introduces three major updates: the choice between on-the-go and user-controlled code execution, the ability to arrange the editor vertically or horizontally, and an upgraded professional plan.

MIT researchers are creating smarter homes
MIT researchers have developed a system to create more fully automated smart homes by identifying individual occupants and using reflected wireless signals to localize individuals. The system, Duet, also uses algorithms that ping nearby mobile devices to identify people, based on who last used the device and what their predicted movement trajectory is.

“Smart homes are still based on explicit input from apps or telling Alexa to do something. Ideally, we want homes to be more reactive to what we do, to adapt to us,” said Deepak Vasisht, a PhD student in MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and lead author on a paper describing the system.

Ubuntu 18.10 is now available
Ubuntu 18.10 has been released, and has several updates that make it optimized for multi-cloud deployments and AI software development. It features a new community desktop theme, adding fingerprint unlock functionality for compatible PCs.

It also has a richer snap desktop integration, and now allows native desktop control to access files on the host system.

Waymo outlines its safety protocols
Autonomous driving company Waymo has released its first Safety Report, providing an overview of the company’s process for safely testing and deploying autonomous vehicle technology.

According to the report, each vehicle that is deployed is tested under a combination of simulation testing, closed-course testing, and real-world driving.

When an emergency or law enforcement vehicle is nearby, sensors can identify a fire truck, detect flashing lights, and hear sirens from hundred of feet away. The sensors are designed to be able to tell what direction sirens are coming from. When an emergency vehicle is detect, the self-driving vehicle will respond by yielding, pulling over, or coming to a complete stop, the report explained.