PART VII – Intelligence & Consciousness

1. How do you define intelligence? Is it possible for there to be truly intelligent machines?




2. What is consciousness? What does it mean to be a conscious being?

PART VI - THE CAPABILITIES AND LIMITATIONS OF ROBOTS (PROCESSING POWER, VISION, TOUCH, SOUND AND MOVEMENT)

Take a look at the following: Katana, Artifical Hand, ZAR5, Humanoid-2, Robots, More Robots, Roboter.

Find out what the DARPA Grand Challeng is. Watch this video of the 2005 event. Watch this video of the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge.

Visit the following sites:

Use this site to learn a bit about the different aspects of robots.

Experience navigating a robot here (a simple task).


QUESTION:

Using the examples you've examined above, compare/describe the capabilities and limitations of robots and humans with respect to:


a. Vision
b. Touch
c. Sound
d. Movement
e. Processing power
f. Communication

PART V - REASONS WHY ROBOTS ARE OR ARE NOT DESIGNED AS ANDROIDS WITH HUMAN-LIKE FORM

Do they have to look like us? Why or why not? What are the connected issues?

Post your response.

Camel Jockeys

Read the following:

Child camel jockeys find hope

UAE to give child jockeys payouts

Helping Camel Jockeys


Watch the following:

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=b0aEtNH1NyY

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=iID2l6ewyj8

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=GSWygUqlGk4


Post your answers to the following questions:

1. What is a camel jockey?

2. Where are they used/where do they predominantly comes from (geographically and socially)?

3. What is the problem with this?

4. What has become the favoured solution?

5. What are the issues connected to the solution?

6. Why do you think some people are opposed to the solution?

PART III - DETERMINING SITUATIONS IN WHICH IT IS MORE APPROPRIATE TO USE A ROBOT THAN A HUMAN BEING

Post your comments for each of the following:

1 - Where/when is it more appropriate to use a robot than a human being - danger, expense, rapidity, boredom?

2 - What are the social impacts and ethical considerations regarding the use of robotics in medicine e.g. robotic surgery, computer-controlled prostheses?

                     Read this - 'Birthing robots' training medics in S. Korea

3 - Is there a social impact of human interaction with robots e.g. artificial pets, robots for the disabled and elderly?

4 - What are the social and economic effects of replacing people with robots in the workplace?

                     Read - Computer Confluence The Automated Factory pages 428-9

5 - How do we make ethical decisions regarding the use of robots in situations that might endanger human beings?

6 - How reliable are robotic devices, particularly in life-threatening situations

PART II - SENSORS

- List types of sensors and say where/why/how they might be used (in your notebook)

PART I - INTRODUCTION TO ROBOTICS

- Define: robots, androids, and cyborgs (in your notebook)


- Read Computer Confluence pages 602-604 (The Robot Revolution)

- Who first used the word "robot" and when? (in your notebook)

- What are Asimov's three laws of robotics? (in your notebook)

Can Cyborg Moths Bring Down Terrorists?
 
- Read the article and post a comment about your thoughts – what are the social/ethical issues &   implications?

UNIT 2.4 - INTEGRATED SYSTEMS

TOPIC: ROBOTICS

Use the following websites (and others you deem to be useful, accurate, and authentic) to create notes and formulate responses as you go through the topic:

http://links999.net/robotics/robots/robots_ethical.html

http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/hsc/aibo/ethics.htm

http://bettscomputers.com/moodle/mod/resource/view.php?id=26

Writing Topic 10 (Emi): Public Information Systems, e.g. traffic control, security camera systems, public transfer information systems

Writing Topic 9 (Margot): Emerging Technologies as the Result of Convergence of Computers and Communications Technology

Presentation Topic 10 (Emi): Personal Mobile Devices, e.g. PDA, laptop

Presentation Topic 9 (Margot): Social and Ethical Considerations of: Distance Learning, Digital Entertainment, Global Media, and Public Information Systems

Writing Topic 8 (Emi): Undetected Intrusions into IT Systems, e.g. phone tapping

Writing Topic 7 (Margot): Minimum Requirements to Enable Realistic Teleconferencing and Videoconferencing

Presentation Topic 8 (Emi): Social and Environmental Impact and Ethical Considerations of Telecommuting

Presentation Topic 7 (Margot): Social Effects of the Widespread Use of Teleconferencing and Videoconferencing

Writing Topic 6 (Emi): Social Effects of Telecommuting

Writing Topic 5 (Margot): Effect on the Environment of Personal Communications Devices

Presentation Topic 6 (Margot): Face-to-face Communications versus Communications via Technology

Presentation Topic 5 (Emi): Features of Telecommuting, e.g. environmental aspects, flexibility, productivity, business and social relationships

Writing Topic 4 (Margot): Contents of Digital Entertainment, e.g. violence, pornography, realism

Writing Topic 3 (Emi): Digital Entertainment versus Live Entertainment

Presentation Topic 4 (Margot): Effect on Personal Productivity of Personal Communications Devices

Presentation Topic 3 (Emi): Social Impact on Health of the Use of Mobile Devices

Presentation Topic 2 (Margot): Mobile Phones and Associated Services and Uses

Presentation Topic 1 (Emy): Convergence, Teleconferencing, Videoconferencing, Telecommuting, Digital Television, Push-pull Technology

Writing Topic 1 (Margot): The Psychological Consequences of People Being in Permanent Contact

Writing Topic 2 (Emy): Ethical Considerations of Control as the Result of Using Communications Devices

GROWING UP ONLINE - PART 7 - POST-VIEWING

GROWING UP ONLINE - PART 6 - ONLINE RELATIONSHIPS - - HEALTHY OR UNHEALTHY?

GROWING UP ONLINE - PART 5 - PARENTING, PRIVACY, AND CONTROL

GROWING UP ONLINE - PART 4 - IDENTITY PLAY

GROWING UP ONLINE - PART 3 - SOCIAL NETWORKING - - KEEPING IN TOUCH

GROWING UP ONLINE - PART 2 - DIGITAL MEDIA IN SCHOOLS

GROWING UP ONLINE - PART 1 - INTERNET IN THE HOME

Censorship and Free Speech

For this first assignment, you will work independently to answer a few questions about different aspects of internet censorship. This is an oppotunity for you to demonstrate your not only your opinion, but your ability to ground your opinion in sound fact and research.

It is a relatively short assignment, and beng as such, you will have all of Tuesday and Thursday to complete your work. If you use your time well during class, there should be little need for any additional time at home.

Follow the instructions below.

ASSIGNMENT GUIDE: IS INTERNET CENSORSHIP A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING?

Wikipedia definition of Censorship:

"Censorship is the control of speech, and other forms of human expression, often by (but not limited to) government intervention. The ostensible motive of censorship is to stabilize or improve the society over which the government would have control.

"It is most commonly applied to acts that occur in public circumstances, and most formally involves suppression of ideas (by criminalizing or regulating expression). What is censored may range from specific words to entire concepts and it may be influenced by value systems. "Sanitization (removal) and whitewashing (from whitewash) are almost interchangeable terms that refer to a particular form of censorship via omission, which seeks to "clean up" the portrayal of particular issues and facts that are already known, but which may conflict with the official point of view."

Dictionary.com definition of Censor:

"A person authorized to examine books, films, or other material and to remove or suppress what is considered morally, politically, or otherwise objectionable.

Schools cracking down on teen Web site MySpace: http://www.bodine.phila.k12.pa.us/kaufman/ITGSweb/info/censorship/myspace.htm

Facebook...What it is really for! Warning! Click on the link. After watching the video you'll want to cancel your membership! http://albumoftheday.com/facebook/

Content Filters

How do filters work? Filters are designed to identify unsuitable or inappropriate material but comparing the content of a web page to “allowed” and “unallowed” content that is classified in the filtering software. The filter can do this in various ways: A filter contains a “black” or “exclusion” list which contains the URLs of websites that have unallowed content. If a web page matches one of the sites on this list, the user is denied access to view the site. A filter contains a “white” or “inclusion” list which contains the URLs of website that the user is allowed to visit. Any website that is not on this list will be blocked by the filter. A filter contains a list of content keywords and/or phrases that, if contained within a web page, will deny the user access to the site. A filter is able to analyze images contained on a web page, and will block access to the site if it contains a large percentage of flesh colored images. Many filters use a combination of these methods, and also allow the user to edit the lists which contain URLs or words that filter looks for. Many filters allow the parent (or the master user of the software) to adjust the “strength” of the filter - the criteria for what is deemed allowed and disallowed. The strength is often categorized by age groups in order to filter material for children, teenagers or adults.

SonicWALL

This graphic explains how the SonicWALL content filter works.

After considering what you've learned, respond to the following questions in a clear and concise post on this blog.

1. Discuss some of the social and ethical issues involved with filtering.

2. Describe how filtering works.

3. Evaluate the necessity of filtering in your region.

4. Examine two possible benefits of filtering for a large corporation.

Your response will be evaluated based on the following DP Program Standards:

• understand and critically examine the global impact of IT developments.
• demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the social and ethical implications of IT systems and developments at the local, national and global level.
• analyse and evaluate the social and ethical implications of IT developments.
• express ideas clearly and coherently with supporting arguments and examples.