Wisconsin has to get in gear if it wants to be on the forefront of self-driving vehicles and other high-growth technologies, says the chairman of the Assembly Committee on Jobs and the Economy. Rep. Adam Neylon insists pushing for a regulatory framework that reduces limitations on self-driving vehicle testing will be good for the state in multiple ways. One way to do that more effectively, he says, is to create a task force on automated vehicle legislation. He spoke to this need Tuesday at a meeting of the Wisconsin Technology Council’s Innovation Network in Madison, where one of only 10

The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation has announced its latest group of projects for the UW2020: WARF Discovery Initiative, which funnels millions of dollars into research. Out of the 21 projects receiving money from WARF, eight are infrastructure-related, while 13 are research projects. Of those 13, six are directly related to understanding, treating or preventing human sickness. Over 137 faculty from 10 schools and colleges on the UW-Madison campus are represented in these projects, which are funded for two years with an average award of $372,923. This most recent round bring the total number of awardees to 49 since the initiative

UW-Stout is working on an online portal that will enable the sharing of resources between Wisconsin school districts with digital fabrication laboratories, or “fab labs.” The site is being developed with the aim of improving collaboration, allowing teachers and students alike to connect on curriculum ideas, equipment troubleshooting, and strategies for engaging community and business. “We recognize that having all these fab labs getting started, there’s a benefit to pulling together resources and having access points for teachers,” said Randall Hulke, executive director of UW-Stout’s Discovery Center and head of the development effort for the site. “So many districts are