Month: February 2017

Would you let a Robot take care of you?

As technology advances and focuses on entertaining its consumer it is about time that we pushed it forward to use it for more than that. Technology not only to make life comfortable but as well as to aid its users. Technology to really take care of us is what Toshiharu Mukai seeks to accomplish with his invention of Robear.

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 In conclusion Byford finds that although Robear has a cute face, charming actions, and can gently lift his patients he cost too much and he is too complicated for a regular care worker to be able to perform maintenance on him. And for that reason it will take some more time before he is ready to reach the mass public. For me personally I find the idea of Robear to be very attractive but I agree with Byford’s findings because one of the most important things with a new invention is how easy it is to use and its cost.

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After taking a closer look at Robear he carries the characteristic of transcoding from Lee Manovich’s new media principles. In talking about transcoding Manovich explains how it is the blend of a computer layer and a cultural layer,

“the computer layer and the culture layer influence each other. To use another concept from new media, we can say that they are being composited together. The result of this composite is a new compputer culture – a blend a human and computer menings, of traditional ways in which human culture modeled the world and the computer’s own means of representing it. (page 46).”

This can only remind me of Robear because he is a blend of human and computer meanings as Manovich puts it. Robear imitates human culture in the form of care and assistance. But in the same way Robear is a set of automated actions put together by different strings of coding.

This also reminds me of Turing’s Computing Machinery and Intelligence passage where he questions computer intelligence in whether or not a machine can really think. With that analysis I cannot help but think of Robear. Turning includes a point “It is not normally possible to determine from observing a machine whether it has a random element (pg 5).” Robear is an invention that follows a set of predetermined actions as they are pressed on its control panel but if Robear were able to function without the control panel if he functioned from sight or by voice would that not be counted a random element? In a way it would be making its own choices, its own decisions. We have not been able to get there just yet but we are slowly becoming closer and closer.

With that I cannot help but wonder if society now would be able to warmly accept this type of caregiver in the household?

or

If one day it is possible for a machine or invention to be the sole caregiver in a household, not just for the elderly but as well as for personal assisting, looking after the young, cooking for us, driving for us, would you be able to accept it?

 

Amazon Alexa is now a small home robot thanks to Omate.


Small Home Robot, Omates Yumi.

The article is both a presentation of the small home robot, Omate’s Yumi and an analysis of if you should get one. So, Yumi’s capabilities are basically same as the smartphone s’ except that it has a very high quality screen and speaks ; it also shares capabilities of Echo Dot to be always ambiently awake and responsive to your voice. It’s actually just like the first personal computer “that came straight out of the box with pre-loaded software”. (Athique, ch 1, pp11)

Amazon Alexa搭載の低価格コミュニケーションロボット「Omate Yumi」登場！

Source: start robot

Amazon Echo Dot

Source: hondamarlboro

Problem in the article I would say is answering a question: should we get the Yumi? And argument that authors makes here is that no, it is nothing special, just a smartphone inside a cute body that can run Alexa and that we should get a more serious robot like the ASUS Zenbo.

ASUS Zenbo Pricing and Availability Announced in Taiwan

Source: Charles Goodell

As for the evidence author talks about the Yumi’s hardware capabilities (what the robot body can do) that they are extremely limited. It will bump into things and can fall off a table. All it’s body is good for is turning slightly to face you. It’s just smartphone in a cute gigantic case.
To analyze the evidence the author uses comparisons to other products that have similar capabilities. For what’s missing in the article would be that the author could have included pictures and/or descriptions of the products he compared the Yumi to.
So how is this New Media? How does this product satisfies the New Media’s five key principles?
In my opinion it is definitely New Media and it definitely has all five principles. Here is why:
  1. Numerical Representation – Yumi processes a large amount of computer data stored in binary code for a potentially infinite number of programs and apps that include many types of media.
  2. Modularity – all the apps it can run can be downloaded, deleted, or replaced, without changing anything about the Yumi or the app – they are independent.
  3. Automation – it has all the normal automated processes of a smartphone, and the extra automation of both Alexa (which is software) and the capabilities of the Echo Dot to stay awake and hear your voice (which is hardware).
  4. Variability – each Yumi has a copy of the Alexa program that becomes a customized version that “knows” the voice of its owner.
  5. Transcoding – “While from one point of view, computerized media still displays structural organization that makes sense to its human users — images feature recognizable objects; text files consist of grammatical sentences; virtual spaces are defined along the familiar Cartesian coordinate system: and son on — from another point of view, its structure now follows the established conventions of the computer’s organization data. (Manovich, pp 45)
    Because Yumi has a face and voice it’s more extreme transcoding. We know that transcoding includes computer layer and cultural layer which depend on each other.
    – Computer Layer – Yumi has the ability to store, sort, and retrieve  data and run programs. Also the Alexa software.
    – Cultural Layer– Yumi uses face and body, Alexa’s voice, and the way she speaks English and understands it (instead of in binary code). Also it should have the screen and GUI (Graphical User Interface).
    Questions:
    1. Are you interested in home robots?
    2. Which one would you prefer Yumi or Zenbo?

Contact Lenses That Take Videos

The preferences over camera sizes are interesting. In the 2000s, when I actually paid attention to my surroundings, compact cameras were small yet bulky, now having compact cameras at a small and slim size. Lets face it: we don’t want a lot of weight on our hands, literally. Now big companies like Sony want to make one of the smallest cameras to put on your eye, to record videos, with the possibilities of recording with enhanced accuracy since our eyes can see at a resolution as much as 576 megapixels.

Not only will the SONY contact lenses enhance accuracy for video recordings, but also have a wireless processing unit and a storage unit. Therefore it does include numerical representation, which Manovich says is one of the five principles of new media. According to the article, SONY believes that these lenses will be a solution for different complicated tasks like with critical surgeries, recording criminal activities and spying. The lenses will include tilt sensors for feature aperture control, autofocus, and image stabilization. Attached to the article, comes a diagram showing the lenses with parts such as a wireless communication processing unit, antenna, circuit units, and much more, therefore modularity, where independent parts are present. An average blink are between .2 and .4 seconds, so after .5 seconds the lenses can start or stop recording. The blinking function, despite having sophisticated parts attached to the lenses, is a “low-level” automation. Variability exists, if modulation exists as well (Manovich, p.46), because of how Google and Samsung have patent pending for video recording contact lenses as well. Even Snapchat wanted these lenses too. And lastly, transcoding, in which a culture layer and a computer layer, which is a human and computer mixture, can coexist which is already true to this product for being technological but also humanized because finally something can be seen from ones’ point of view.

Although an interesting invention in the works, the major problem of privacy is a deal-breaker for simple people like myself. The problem with innovation is the boundaries of inventing a bit too much. According to Athique for Digital Media and Society, he said “Certainly, there can be few technologies that have been so prevalent within popular culture as the computer (aside from the car). (Athique, Chapter 1, p.18)” He then goes into how computers used to represent ultra-modernity and dependence (on technology). So can these lenses become something as widespread as the computers that represent ultra-modernity and will be heavily depended on? I personally do not think so.

Questions to think about:

  1. How would you think any company be able to restrict and minimize any potential foulplay to occur when using these lenses, like invasion of privacy?
  2. Are we, society/companies/developed and developing countries, TOO focused on the next best thing and why?

The Virtual Reality Revolution

Pick an article (online or offline) on a recent invention related to computer technologies. They can be software, hardware, AI etc.

  1. What is the problem the writer tries to solve?
  2. What is the evidence used?
  3. How is the evidence analyzed?
  4. What is the argument/conclusion/finding? Is it convincing? Why or why not?
  5. What’s missing from the analysis? Do you find any contradictions?
  6. Using Lee Manovich’s new media principles, does the technology described in the article carry any of these characteristics: numerical representation, modularity, automation, variability, and transcoding? Explain.

Virtual Reality Revolution

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While advancements in computing and media technologies have been faster than ever, virtual reality has completely changed industries. From entertainment to gaming to even real estate, VR has taken the user experience one step further. We do not have to look at a monitor and clicking through buttons anymore. Instead of watching a movie, users can now live through it.

In Forbes “3 Ways VR Is Changing How We Learn”, the problem that the writer tries to solve are the antiquated systems that do not engage with the user as much as VR does. The evidence he uses to back this up are his three points: learning a new language, practicing military drills, and higher learning can significantly improve if we virtual reality. The writer, Tomas Laurinavicius, states that when it comes to learning a new language, people are easily distracted and spend countless amount of hours trying to get to a new level. He points the finger at the program that does not provide enough stimulation in the learning process. In practicing military drills, soldiers are required to make quick decisions that may have painful consequences for themselves or other people. These stressful situations are challenging and can cause them to make the wrong decisions.  Lastly, he argues that students in the classroom may have a tough time doing work outside of the classroom – when they go home, they are easily distracted and are frustrated when they do homework. The simple solution for all of these realistic problems is virtual reality, where students, soldiers, and language learners alike can have interactive bots to guide them through the process.

Virtual Reality

Image Source

The evidence Laurinavicius uses provides no statistical analysis, but they are relevant enough for readers to understand where he is coming. I too feel frustrated when I do not understand a homework question, and having a virtual reality experience where a bot is intelligent enough to provide a solution is revolutionary. On the other hand, not having data to back up his claims makes it hard to truly understand the impact that virtual reality can bring. He says, “Most likely, the numbers of those choosing to embrace such technologies will rise”, but does not provide the numbers. This makes his news article an opinion piece more than anything else. Despite being an opinion piece, I think that the information he provides is convincing because it relates to my day to day activities and makes me excited for the future. His conclusion is that virtual reality will grow in magnitude and influence, which I agree with because how practical VR is for any ordinary person’s life.

The article also has some alarming contradictions too. Lauranavicius writes, “By being able to “see,” “touch,” and “interact” with that place, you increase the likelihood of acquiring new ideas and approaches not to mention adding added value layers of fun and engagement”, but it may also make things a lot more difficult. If people are dependent upon virtual reality to learn, living ordinary lives and developing human connections may be seen as secondary to them, and they can develop a desire in making virtual reality just a reality. Couldry best describes this problem when he writes, ” … within the apparently infinite expansion of global connectivity, newly hidden forms of disconnection are emerging.” (Couldry, 10) As noted in modern history, people are glued onto their monitors and phones. It begets the question: are people ready for the virtual reality revolution?

Based on Lea Manovich’s new media principles, what is beautiful about virtual reality is that it carries all five characteristics. The first three, numerical representation, modularity, and automation, can be found through the complex algorithms of bots and engaging mankind in a digital space. Especially in automation, layers of both AL and AI will be clear as day. With “techniques robust enough for image editing, 3-D graphics, word processing, graphics layout, and so forth.” (Manovich, 32). The fourth characteristic, variability, will be dependent on the system itself. Virtual reality will be fluid enough to have data in every form imaginable. Content can be analogged, shared, and transported in a matter of seconds. In fact, virtual reality might even transcend the ways we view data. In a world where AI is as humane as humans, data might be shaped into a new way for processing. I don’t know about you, but it seems like a new wave is coming.

 

Questions:

a) How do you think virtual reality would change your college experience?

b) What aspect of your life would improve the most if you could live it through virtual reality?

 

 

Do you consider social media after death?

Over the past 10 years, social media has become such a large part of life. People in our society shape themselves with social media platforms. Their Facebook and Instagram accounts have shaped who they are. It is really crazy to think that before our generation this did not even exist. Our parents did not have cell phones growing up and we now depend on ours for everything. Whether we depend on it for directions, google, different apps, ect. We now check our social media pages in place of reading the daily newspaper. Do we even get the newspaper delivered anymore? The majority of people probably don’t even realize if they get a newspaper delivered to their homes.
Normally when thinking about the preparation of death, the average human being will think of their family and finances. How will their family be taken care of? Do they have a will? The NY Times has brought to our attention that their are other important aspects to now consider. Now, social media is thought of as well. ”What will happen to my social media page?” We as human beings have so much data and informations on ourselves invested in our social media pages that this is now being considered along with wills and finances.
Facebook has a feature for users where they can choose to delete all of one’s data, once Facebook is officially notified of their death. Google lets their users choose up to 10 people to be executors of one’s account for after their death. Since social media and having personal information online has become a large part of life, this may be something to consider. Also, to hand it over to someone you trust.
1. Does your social media account come to mind when thinking of death?
2. Do you think social media is as important as a will or an executor of a will?

Digital Technology and Creativity

 

Photo Credit: Imran Ahmed

Ralph Lauren | Photo Credit: Imran Ahmed

The article I chose highlights a new application of digital technology and how it can be used in a creative manner to engage audiences and give them a unique experience. The authors announce an event hosted by the retailer, Ralph Lauren to demonstrate the cutting edge persona of the brand by merging the events, lighting and film industries. In order for this post to make sense, please see the video that covers the event here  and then the article posted by the authors from business of fashion (which includes the behind the scenes video production) here

The problem trying to be solved in this article is the barrier of the 4th dimension which has always restricted designers and engineers. The new technology described in the video , along with the scents, audio, visual elements definitely pushes that barrier into a new realm. The authors make the argument that the event was open to industry people and not the end consumer, causing them lost opportunity in sales. Ralph Lauren could argue that their mission of wowing their industry friends with the 4d experience was enough buzz  to carry on the brand image of RL, and thus indirectly reaching their audience.

The evidence used was the behind the scenes videos which depict the technical aspects of the production where lighting, media and live events were merged to create an immersive  experience, illustrating the modular nature of the technology as described by Lev Manovich as being the “fractal structure of new media. Media elements, be it images, sounds, shapes or behaviours, are represented as collections of discrete samples(pixels, polygons, voxels, characters, scripts) These elements are assembled into larger – scale objects but they continue to maintain their separate identity”  the technology also includes  transcoding where the analog nature of the photo  shoots and building models were transcoded into information that a software could synthesize and create a vibrant performance.

I think the authors did a detailed job at analyzing the technology and event and had their own opinions about how the technology used at the event had not enough of an impact on sales but from a creative directors point of view the story telling aspect of the event made a positive brand image impression on the minds of the influential attendees which was a good enough accomplishment for the Ralph Lauren team.

Questions

  1. Where else do you see this technology being used?
  2. Have you experienced a production similar to this and how did the performance/ installation affect you?

 

Risky telegram?

Over the past few years, users of social media applications have become increasingly wary of the security and safety of the social media applications they use. Messenger applications such as Whatsapp have been identified to be insecure. That is why the telegram application was introduced to offer security and enable people to create large groups for effective communication. The article by Heba Soffar,’ the advantages and disadvantages of telegram,’ highlight how this application has become important for users. This application is fast in messaging, offers high security, it has no ads, and most importantly, messages and information shared are shared in cloud, and people will never lose any information shared.

Image by Kevin Rothrock

However, William Turton, in his article ‘why you should stop using telegram right now seems to disagree security of the application. He reiterates that the application has had some security issues. For instance, chats are not encrypted by default, as advocated by the FBI. The author also argues that the application leaks data and information of its users. So, the major question remains whether this application offers the security of the information of its users. There are major contradictions relating to this aspect, as many people have debated about the security of the application. I agree with Heba Soffar on the security of the application, as the secret chats of the users offer end-to-end encryption, making them safe and secure. It has become one of the hottest chatting applications, as many users love the security and safety of their communication.
This new application has some of the characteristics described by Lee Manovich. For instance, you can create an automated bot on this application without coding, and automation is one of the principles of the new media. Secondly, this application has also followed the principle of transcoding. You can get notified through telegram when a user is transcoding. Numerical presentation is also another principle evident in this new technology. Telegram displays a pixel-like array image which has a set of alpha-numeric characters. These examples point to the fact that telegram has adopted these principles of new media in its development.
Questions
1. Does the end-to-end encryption on this application mean that that the chats and conversations of users are completely secure?
2. Should chat and conversations be private and confidential? What if criminal activities and deals are conducted in these messaging applications? What is the appropriate course of action?

Iphone Contacts Reinvented

You walk into the general interest meeting for Alpfa and you meet this great group of people.  You exchange numbers and find out you have the same circle of friends.  How?  With Humin.

Sarah Buhr, author for TechCrunch tries to bring awareness of this iPhone new app which combines all of your contacts from other social networks, personal or professional, into one application which “tracks” your relationship.  Now available for Android users, Humin was created as “an elegant solution to the age-old problem of remembering whom you have met” according to Steven Tweedie, Business Insider.

The creator of the App, Ankur Jain, introduces the idea of Automation and Variability to the standard iPhone app Contacts as he attempts to make our iPhone think the way we do.  Computers? Think like humans?  A.M. Turing proposes the question, ‘”Can machines think?”‘ (Turing 433) during the 1950 and today it’s still developing.

When I say Automation, I’m referring to how media is created, manipulated, and accessed.  More specifically when a “… user modifies or creates from scratch a media object using templates …” this is known as low-level automation (Manovich 32).  A simple example of low-level automation is when you open a Microsoft Word Template and modify the pre-idenified document content.  Simple right?  So with Humin, the same concept is generally the same.

Variability on the other hand describes “a new media object [which] is not something fixed once and for all, but something that can exist in different, potentially infinite versions” (Manovich 36).  The variability aspect is brought into the app “when you add a new phone number in Humin, the app will bring up the person’s name, where and when you met him or her, whom you both know, and where he or she works.  If your new contact is on social media, it will pull a picture so that you never forget his or her face,” according to Business Insider.

To push this idea of low-level automation and variability, Sarah Buhr, using comparative analysis of a similar app known as Connected and primary sources of information in the forms of quotations from the app creator himself.  This information is then analyzed to show the advancement of Humin compared to it’s competition as well as the ideology behind the creator and intent of the app.  For example, Jain shared with TechCrunch that he “…wanted to create a way to find your connections the way you actually think about them.”

At the end of the article, Sarah Buhr revealed her own experience viewing her boyfriend’s contact list.  It seemed like she wasn’t too impressed at what she discovered.  She had searched for someone who wasn’t in her circle of friends using a few keywords such as ‘”bar dude”‘ and ‘”OkCupid”‘ and didn’t get much feedback from the app and was left confused if she had actually met the person in the past.  She does however reveal that app does keep a better “track” of social relationship.  If you think about it, it makes sense why a computerized application will have accurate data with someone who you had frequent interactions with than with someone who you have only met once or twice; similar to the concept of emotional intelligence.

In my opinion, for an app to be solely based on reading location, time, and generally a humans mind, it’s not very effective.  What’s the purpose of installing an application to store information about the who, what, where, when, why and how if it doesn’t do so effectively.  Also, I would assume the concept of privacy is huge for an application like this the computer is programmed to access your location, photos, and social media accounts.  However, there is little information for consumers.

Questions:

  1. Would you ever see yourself downloading Humin?  Knowing the amount of privacy you’ll have to give up.
  2. How far along the success line do you see Humin going?  Do you think the idea that Ankur Jain is trying to introduce will evolve into a more practical application?

EQ-Radio. Do you know that I am actually angry?

At the beginning of his article Adam Conner-Simon claims that in any type of communication/relationships it is difficult to read someone else’s emotions. Can we trust facial expressions? Are they always accurate? Researches from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) came up with “EQ-Radio”, device which can detect individual’s emotions using wireless signal with 87% accuracy. But how does this device work? It measures subtle changes in heart beating and breathing and detects if person is sad, happy or angry. This device can be used in health care (which is the most important in my opinion ), entertainment or consumer behavior. If you are tired or/and stressed, smart homes system can “read” your mood and adjust the air temperature and suggest you to take a walk or drink some water. Project leader Dina Katabi believes that “our results could pave the way for future technologies that could help monitor and diagnose conditions like depression and anxiety”.

We all know that facial expressions are not reliable enough; on-body sensors like chest bands and ECG monitors are inconvenient to wear. So what does make EQ-Radio different and useful? EQ-Radio sends wireless signals that reflect signal from a person’s body and bring it to the device. It can help to find out the individual’s emotional level. “By recovering measurements of the heart valves opening and closing at a millisecond time-scale, this system can literally detect if someone’s heart skips a beat,” say researches. “This opens up the possibility of learning more about conditions like arrhythmia, and potentially exploring other medical applications that we haven’t even thought of yet.”

I am not very good at analyzing new technological devices, but EQ-Radio seems very useful for me, especially if it can help people with depression and other psychological problems. Adam Conner-Simons used enough evidences to make me believe that he exactly knows what he is talking about and we can trust his opinion:

  1. Analyzing previous studying and devises. For example, he mentioned Microsoft’s vision-based “Emotion API”, which focuses on facial expressions (he proved that this system is not accurate enough).
  2. Mentioning competent opinions.
  3. Scientific studies and experiments.
  4. Detailed descriptions of devise.
  5. Ideas on how this EQ-Radio can change the future.

Technology which was describe in Conner-Simon’s article, obviously, has a numerical representation: “New media object can be described formally (mathematically). For instance, an image or a shape can be described using a mathematical function” (Manovich 49). As far as I imagine, quantity of heartbeats and frequency of breathing can be only described using a mathematical function.

Transcoding? For sure. “Beginning with the basic, “material” principles of new media — numeric coding and modular organization — we moved to more “deep” and far reaching ones — automation and variability” (Manovich 63). Individual’s mood level is based on transcoding. For example, number 49 can mean that person is tired, yet upset. Again, this is my interpretation of this technology, which might be wrong.

At the end of “Computing Machinery and Intelligence” Alan Turing states: “We may hope that machines will eventually compete with men in all purely intellectual fields. But which are the best ones to start with? Even this is a difficult decision” (Turing 460). I do not think that machines should compete with human intelligence, because it might be dangerous. Technological devises should help us to improve our health, make our lives easier and many things (like space and time travelling) achievable. However, I think good ruler should have not only intelligence, but heart.

1) Do you find EQ-Radio useful in our society?

2) Do you want to read people’s emotions or you prefer to keep in unknown/private?

The Future Mode of Transportation

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Tesla Inc. is a known car manufacturer throughout the automotive industry and as well as in the Tech industry, for its sporty, aerodynamic shaped vehicles and its feature of self driving car computer system. From a recent article in the Daily Mail UK, World’s first self-driving Tesla taxis are set to hit the roads in Dubai by 2020, shows how Tesla inc. has gained trust in its electric self driving cars from a nation that has build its fortune from oil.

The authors purpose of writing this article is to inform people on the position of Tesla as a company and its growth and expansion into newer global market. Many of us might be hesitant to let a computer become our personal driver but this however is the future, as gradually more companies are including/planning on self driving car feature in its vehicle, as listed in this article. Expanding into a country who is rich in oil and open to using fully electric self driving vehicle is huge for the Tesla inc. and for the future of the automotive industry. The evidence from this reporting ca be analyzed by other countries who maybe want to move in this direction to have more sufficient cars on the road.

The findings in this article is to show the possibilities in our future to having self driving car just as an added feature in cars, just as we have lane departure warning as an option to be added in today’s car. Maybe A.M. Turing was right when he predicted that machines may be able to think in fifty years in 1950. “I believe that in about fifty years’ time it will be possible, to programme computers, with a storage capacity of about 109, to make them play the imitation game so well that…”(Turing,8). Although it will take people to get used to it at first, I believe that like every new technology, we as humans will adapt to it slowly. The use of Self driving taxis can also become a tourist attraction for many and benefit Dubai’s economy for the time being. Although it’s in early stages, one thing missing from this article is more information on how Tesla operates its self driving vehicles.

From the list of Lee Manovich’s new media principles, Self driving car falls under the characteristic of Automation because sensors and the software behind the Tesla vehicles uses “high-level” automation. According to the article by Manovich high level automation is automation, “which requires a computer to understand, to a certain degree, the meanings embedded in the objects being generated” (Manovich, 32). In this case when a sensor detects and an object, it is embedded in the computer to slowly slow down to stop.

  1. My first question would be, will you trust a self driving Uber car to pick you up and take you to your destination?
  2. Secondly, although Tesla has proven what its computers in its car can do, Do you think that fully self driving car will ever come to NYC where it’s constantly stop and go traffic?