https://techxplore.com/rss-feed/software-news/ en-us The latest news on the software, software development, software sciences and computer science. URL scanning services are now a common component of modern security workflows. They help detect phishing websites or malware early and warn users before they visit a URL. However, the practice of some of these services—publishing scanned URLs—can inadvertently expose sensitive user data. CISPA researcher Ali Mustafa, together with colleagues from the Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy and Ca' Foscari University of Venice, conducted the first systematic investigation of the risks arising from this practice. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-factor-privacy-url-scanning.html Software Fri, 07 Aug 2026 12:40:09 EDT news705323885 Many software tools, including compilers, optimizers and synthesizers, have a common task at their core. They must transform long, complicated programs into simplified equivalents. These scaled-down programs run faster and on a wider range of hardware but must deliver the same results as their original versions. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-optimizing-software-professor-egg-downsizes.html Software Thu, 06 Aug 2026 11:40:24 EDT news705234721 A total of 265 couples have married after meeting on an AI-powered dating app launched by the Tokyo government in 2024 to lift Japan's low birth rate, according to official data. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-appy-marriages-ai-hundreds-japanese.html Software Tue, 28 Jul 2026 05:20:03 EDT news704432786 In the current issue of the journal Nature Methods, siibra is introduced as a software suite that integrates data from different multimodal sources into a comprehensive atlas of the human brain and makes the data easily accessible—for interactive exploration and automated, reproducible data analyses, simulations and AI applications. siibra is developed by an international team of scientists led by the Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1) at Forschungszentrum Jülich. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-molecules-networks-siibra-brain-atlas.html Software Tue, 21 Jul 2026 11:20:01 EDT news703850660 The emergence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) models, including ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot, has transformed educational pedagogy by enabling new forms of interaction, reflection and learning. Yet the use of GenAI in software development education often fails to support deep conceptual learning. In a new article, researchers introduce Teachable AI, a prototype learning system that applies a learning-by-teaching approach in which students explain newly learned concepts to an AI agent. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-prototype-software-approach.html Software Mon, 20 Jul 2026 11:20:03 EDT news703759045 Engineers often use vision-language models to produce new designs, such as airplane or automobile components. To simulate how those components will perform in realistic situations, they'll use tried-and-true computer-aided design (CAD) software to generate 3D models of those designs, which they can put through virtual crash or durability tests. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-2d-3d-rapid-prototyping.html Software Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:20:01 EDT news703405444 During the day, our brain acquires new memories; at night, during sleep, it consolidates the important ones and eliminates the useless ones. A similar principle has been applied to Hopfield networks, one of the classic models of artificial intelligence inspired by the workings of the brain. In 2025, Federico Ricci-Tersenghi and colleagues developed Daydreaming, an algorithm that combines the learning of new memories with the elimination of spurious ones, drastically improving the network's capacity. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-daydreaming-algorithm-ai.html Software Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:05 EDT news703173437 Many experts refer to hydrogen as "the fuel of the future." It is expected to help decarbonize the global economy in two main ways: Burning it or feeding it into a fuel cell produces storable energy with no carbon emissions, just water. It can also be used in place of fossil fuels or as a chemical feedstock in hard-to-decarbonize industrial processes such as steel and cement production. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-hydrogen-fuel-future-cheap-ship.html Software Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:20:07 EDT news702646984 Developers are increasingly relying on large language models (LLMs) for everyday computing tasks such as fixing bugs, explaining code and automating text-processing tasks like filtering logs. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-ai-automate-everyday-tasks.html Software Mon, 06 Jul 2026 13:16:01 EDT news702562549 The Horizon Europe project Mopo has published a new technical publication dedicated to Spine Toolbox, the open-source workflow management system that supports flexible data, scenario and workflow management for complex modeling environments. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-source-workflow-tool-showcases-flexibility.html Software Thu, 02 Jul 2026 13:00:02 EDT news702212281 Artificial intelligence can now generate images that are virtually indistinguishable from real ones. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB have developed RealOrRender, a tool that not only specifically detects such deepfakes but also explains why an image is classified as real or AI-generated. The new hybrid approach significantly improves detection accuracy, while explainable AI processes ensure transparent results. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-reliably-deepfake-images.html Software Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:20:05 EDT news702116221 A technology developed at the Technion enables ordinary users to create realistic video clips intuitively, without the need for massive computing resources. Called Time-to-Move (TTM), it offers unprecedented control over the movement of objects and characters in AI-generated videos using nothing more than mouse movements, eliminating the need for complex and expensive infrastructure or training on millions of videos. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-mouse-realistic-ai-video-extra.html Software Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:20:08 EDT news701353775 It's game over for fans of discontinued video games after the EU admitted defeat Tuesday and said it cannot stop publishers from making them unplayable. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-eu-discontinued-video-games.html Software Tue, 16 Jun 2026 16:20:04 EDT news700845554 How do software developers respond when they come across code they do not intuitively understand? Neuropsychologists have now explored this question by recording brain activity alongside eye movements. A team of psycholinguists then compared the findings with established patterns from natural language processing and identified some surprising parallels. The interdisciplinary team from Saarland University and Chemnitz University of Technology has now published its study in Scientific Reports. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-code-brain-eye-tracking-reveal.html Software Wed, 10 Jun 2026 13:20:47 EDT news700315981 Operating large language model (LLM) services like ChatGPT requires a server infrastructure on the scale of tens of thousands of units. However, constructing actual equipment every time a new AI semiconductor or system architecture needs to be verified incurs massive costs and time. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-virtual-ai-testbed-massive-llm.html Software Fri, 29 May 2026 13:40:01 EDT news699280081 In a study published in IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, researchers from Kyushu University have found that "flaky tests," which are unstable software tests that seem to randomly pass or fail, do not stay confined to the projects they originate in and often spread across entire ecosystems. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-unstable-software-ripple-openstack-days.html Software Tue, 26 May 2026 08:00:04 EDT news698921041 In a bustling restaurant kitchen, efficiency requires more than just machines that wash dishes or chop vegetables. It requires a conductor to ensure the appetizer, main course, and dessert are prepared in the right sequence, that the right chef gets the right order, and that the correct dish reaches the right table on time. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-github-workflows-software.html Software Mon, 25 May 2026 10:40:01 EDT news698924222 Modern smartphones are packed with incredible technology, from high-resolution cameras and advanced graphics chips to AI processors. In premium models, this hardware includes LiDAR (light detection and ranging), which helps power augmented reality features and improve depth sensing. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-smartphones-track-hidden-lidar.html Software Fri, 22 May 2026 10:07:44 EDT news698663209 A research team at Google co-led by Michael Brenner, Catalyst Professor of Applied Mathematics and Physics at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and Google research scientist, has produced a new artificial intelligence system that can automatically write scientific software programs that surpass the performance of human-written programs. The paper is published in the journal Nature. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-ai-automates-scientific-software-outperforming.html Software Wed, 20 May 2026 13:00:05 EDT news698500058 With artificial intelligence upending how people seek, interpret, and act on information, efforts are underway to design AI systems that are equitable, efficient, and inclusive. A University of Oklahoma data scientist has created a free research tool to facilitate this process. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-free-tool-aims-ai-chatbots.html Software Mon, 18 May 2026 16:20:07 EDT news698339811 Whether on a smartphone, tablet, or PC, computer users like things to be convenient. Apps can be launched and configured with just a few clicks or taps on the screen, all with a clean, intuitive graphical interface. The AiiDAlab user interface has been developed to ensure that researchers enjoy a similar level of convenience when running complex computer simulations or data analyses. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-aiidalab-software.html Software Tue, 12 May 2026 21:00:02 EDT news697797753 Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed an open-source "digital twin" of a wireless network, giving graduate students, startups and other innovators a free, easy-to-use way to test new technologies and get fast, realistic feedback. The platform could help accelerate the pace of wireless innovation. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-source-digital-twin-enables-applications.html Software Tue, 12 May 2026 15:40:09 EDT news697815841 Sophisticated new flight simulation software capable of accurately modeling the performance of firefighting helicopters could help train pilots to tackle wildfires more effectively in the future. Researchers from the University of Glasgow developed the prototype software as part of the Daedalus I flight simulation framework, which is showcased in a paper published in the CEAS Aeronautical Journal. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-simulation-breakthrough-aerial-firefighter-revolution.html Software Mon, 11 May 2026 12:00:02 EDT news697719121 Researchers from The University of Osaka, Kyushu University, and the University of Victoria have developed a new method called Majority Voting SZZ (MV-SZZ) that accurately identifies defect-inducing software commits. By combining detailed code tracking with a majority voting system, the approach reduces false positives and outperforms existing techniques. This improvement could help developers debug software more efficiently and build more reliable systems. The work is published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-majority-voting-method-smarter-software.html Software Fri, 08 May 2026 12:00:07 EDT news697460281 Remote collaboration software tools, such as Zoom or Google Docs, have become essential for teamwork—but they often overlook the fact that people do not all approach collaboration in the same way. Researchers have now developed a new human-computer interaction (HCI) method called RemoteCollabEval (RCE) to identify barriers to collaboration and inclusivity, allowing designers and developers to build software features that better support diverse teamwork styles. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-remote-teamwork-tools-users-method.html Software Mon, 04 May 2026 13:00:01 EDT news697117922 Artificial intelligence (AI) experts from The University of Texas at Dallas have partnered with a Japanese company through its Irving, Texas-based subsidiary to help local governments prioritize road repairs. The system builds on NEXCO-Central's existing technology, which combines artificial intelligence and video footage gathered from mobile cameras to assess road conditions and provide a network-wide view of pavement conditions. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-05-pothole-ai-team-company-city.html Software Fri, 01 May 2026 13:00:08 EDT news696858181 It's been said that "writing about music is like dancing about architecture." Writing, or talking, about dancing can be similarly futile. A Cornell doctoral student has helped develop a tool that lets dancers use video and extended reality (XR) headsets to create an immersive environment for analyzing and refining their movements. In other words, dancers can actually dance about dancing. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-reality-tool-dancers-movement.html Software Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:40:09 EDT news696772921 Representing the pathway of participants in a study is a key element in clinical and epidemiological research. Flow diagrams are the standard tool to do so, as they allow the different stages of the process to be clearly visualized, from initial selection to final analysis, following international guidelines such as CONSORT or STROBE. However, their creation is often laborious. It usually involves manually entering data or programming complex structures, which makes reproducibility more difficult and may increase the risk of errors. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-package-generation-flowcharts.html Software Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:40:03 EDT news696695642 Even though he wanted to bike commute from his Capitol Hill home to the University of Washington, Jared Hwang often took transit because he struggled to find a good bike route. Apps like Google Maps and Strava might suggest hilly, busy streets simply because they have bike lanes. He even headed to Reddit to crowdsource ideas. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-bikebutler-personalized-routes-riders-based.html Software Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:00:02 EDT news696587041 New research in Contemporary Economic Policy reveals that generative artificial intelligence tools like GitHub Copilot may lead to more, not fewer, jobs in the software engineering workforce. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-generative-ai-tools-reshape-software.html Software Wed, 22 Apr 2026 03:00:04 EDT news695977428