Qt announced the Qt Design Studio, which will help foster collaboration between graphic designers and software developers when they are creating user interfaces. It allows designers to drag-and-drop UI elements into the environment that developers use to create application logic. The platform will then automatically translate those image files into Qt’s declarative design language.

By working in a single environment, the two teams can take advantage of more efficient and cooperative workflows and reduce the time spent on software application projects.

Contrast Security announces new IDE integrations

Contrast Security has announced new bug trackers and IDE integrations. It is now offering two-way integrations with Microsoft Visual Studio Team Services and Atlassian Jira, in addition to IDE plugins supporting Microsoft Visual Studio, Eclipse, and IntelliJ IDEA.

By providing developers with a self-contained workflow that does not interfere with productivity, the company is allowing development teams to overcome the hidden costs of security. According to the company, other benefits of integrating with IDEs and bug trackers include shifting security left, allowing developers to manage security workloads with familiar tools, and offering a single point of coordination across multiple tools.

Salesforce Research Deep Learning Grant now accepting submissions

In an effort to inspire researchers to create innovative ideas that will shape the future of AI, the Salesforce Research team has launched the Salesforce Research Deep Learning Grant. According to Salesforce, the goal of the grant “is to support individuals who extend, use or analyze deep learning methods or can provide fresh perspectives on current research.”

The awarded amount could be up to $50,000 USD, depending on research needs. Salesforce is currently accepting submissions from university researchers and faculty, non-profit organizations, and NGOs.

Google launches an introductory augmented reality course on Coursera

Google has launched a free introductory augmented reality class on Coursera, titled Introduction to Augmented Reality and ARCore. The course is designed for students who have no prior knowledge of AR, and takes about 15 hours to complete.

By the end of the course, students will have learned the basics of AR, such as what it is, designing an AR experience, and how to build their own project using Google’s ARCore development kit and tools such as Poly.