Program Anomaly Detection Approach Detectiion Software Prototype Developed at Virginia Tech

Imagine millions of lines of instructions. Then try and picture how one extremely tiny anomaly could be found in almost real-time and prevent a cyber security attack.

Called a "program anomaly detection approach," a trio of Virginia Tech computer scientists has tested their innovation against many real-world attacks.

One type of attack is when an adversary is able to remotely access a computer, bypassing authentication such as a login screen. A second example of attack is called heap feng shui where attackers hijack the control of a browser by manipulating its memory layout. Another example of attack is called directory harvesting where spammers interact with vulnerable mail servers to steal valid email addresses.

The prototype developed by the Virginia Tech scientists proved to be effective and reliable at these types of attacks with a false positive rate as low as 0.01 percent.

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SAFFIR: A Humanoid Robot to Fight Fires on US Naval Ships

The walking fire extinguisher goes by the utilitarian name Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot, or SAFFiR for short. And the name is no accident: SAFFiR was designed to limit sailors’ exposure to smoke and flames in ships’ tight confines, keeping them… safer (although, technically, researchers pronounce the name like “sapphire”).

And, as a man-sized hunk of metal and software, it can do things that humans cannot. SAFFiR is loaded with onboard sensors such as infrared stereovision and laser light detectors, which enable it to find its target through thick smoke. It can also walk, open doors and handle the fire hose. It’s also good on its feet: SAFFiR’s whole-body momentum control system ensures he stays upright and functional, even atop rough terrain.

In addition to firefighting, SAFFiR would have other duties such as scanning the ship for leaks and identifying malfunctioning equipment.

“By taking on these time-consuming tasks, SAFFiR could free up sailors for jobs that more fully take advantage of their training and technical skill sets,” Thomas McKenna, program manager for human-robot interaction and cognitive neuroscience at the Office of Naval Research, said in a statement Wednesday.

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Is this an Atlas derivative?  I am not sure.  I don't think so, but...