Uber’s surge pricing doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to But according to a new study conducted by computer scientists at Northeastern University, the algorithm doesn’t work as intended. As reported by NPR, by creating 43 Uber accounts in locations across San Francisco and Manhattan and collecting the data those accounts received on nearby Uber drivers, the researchers were able to map how drivers’ comings-and-goings […]
The secrets of Uber’s mysterious surge pricing algorithm, revealed “Uber has all the information, and it’s making decisions about prices. Whether its interest is the same as the customers and the drivers isn’t something we know,” says Northeastern University researcher Christo Wilson. Wilson, who specializes in “auditing” algorithms, and two Northeastern colleagues set out to reverse engineer how Uber’s surge pricing works in two […]
BetaBoston Auditing Uber: Northeastern researchers test Uber’s ‘surge pricing’ Christo Wilson admits there was something a little sketchy about going from drug store to drug store in downtown Boston last December, buying hundreds of dollars in prepaid Visa cards. But Wilson, an assistant computer science professor at Northeastern University, wasn’t laundering money: He was buying the cards to create fake Uber accounts that he and his colleagues would […]
Uber surge price? Research says walk a few blocks, wait a few minutes But how exactly does Uber’s algorithm work? The company doesn’t say. A team of researchers at Northeastern University decided to find out by doing what they call “algorythmic auditing.” They found that for customers, it pays to be patient — or to walk a few blocks to a less crowded area. “If you go on […]
WGBH CNBC’s sneering debate panelists conjure up old complaints about liberal media bias For Republican politicians, whining about the media comes as naturally as invoking misty memories of Ronald Reagan. It’s a sure-fire applause line, as complaints about the liberal press play into the right’s sense of victimhood. And there are occasions when those complaints are actually on the mark. Wednesday night’s presidential debate was one of those […]
KPCC Five tips for coping with college stress This time of year is especially high pressure with essay deadlines and exam prep, so burnout expert Kristen Lee Costa, Ed.D. conducted qualitative research to find the best coping mechanisms for the students she studied. Without them, students’ work can suffer. In her research, Costa found five key lessons to keep in mind when dealing […]
A Northeastern alum designed activewear with a built-in resistance workout “When I got to high school, I started training and I finally began to get better and stronger,” he continued. “I ended up with a college scholarship for track and field at Northeastern, and I was a two-time All-American there.” After spending so much time in the training trenches, Anderson became fascinated with finding ways […]
The Washington Times Ben Carson support stretches beyond evangelical conservative base “I ultimately am guessing the Republican Party will elect someone who has prior experience in government, that the support that Trump and Carson have isn’t going to carry them through to the nomination,” said Bill Mayer, a political scientist at Northeastern University. “But it’s only fair to say I’m surprised they’ve gotten as far as they […]
FBI Director James Comey damages his credibility But Comey’s Cassandra act is not supported by statistics. In fact, the data don’t suggest that there is a long-term spike in violent crime in the United States, according to James Alan Fox, a professor of criminology, law, and public policy at Northeastern University. In Seattle, police chief Kathleen O’Toole says crime is down this year […]
Massachusetts economy slows, but still tops US rate In September, the number of Massachusetts residents filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell to the lowest level since at least 1973, it said. The unemployment rate was 4.6 percent in Massachusetts last month, compared to 5.1 percent nationally. “Employers are laying people off at a lower rate than they have been in a long […]
How to hack Uber surge-charge fares by 10-20% A study from Northeastern University researchers published Thursday, billed as “the first in-depth investigation of Uber,” offers some tangible tips — and other fascinating insights — about the mysterious algorithm that guides the country’s most popular ride-share service. The bottom line: Uber’s surge-pricing algorithm, which is based on supply of drivers versus demand of rides […]
BetaBoston EMC’s Tucci says Massachusetts is a talent magnet, but still plays second fiddle to Silicon Valley in tech EMC Corp. chief executive Joseph Tucci said Thursday that despite the acquisition of his company by Texas computer titan Dell Inc., Massachusetts’ high-tech economy still has plenty of room to boom. “I think it’s Massachusetts’ and Boston’s time,” said Tucci, during a forum held Thursday afternoon at Northeastern University. Earlier this month, Dell agreed to […]