How Do Artifical Intelligence Process Different Types Of Information?

Artificial intelligence respond to data that is input into them by humans. They can also be described as machines replicating humans. However, as humans, we have more intelligence than robots in that we have freedom to think. Robots respond to trigger words/phrases in order of them to carry out a command. If we talk to a machine and it responds, does it mean that it can hear us? Will humans one day develop the technology to allow robots to think for themselves? And if so, how will this change the way humans interact with each other?



Let's take two robots, Eliza and Alice. They have been given an identity through their names. They are both female. However, the way they respond is very different. Alice has been given a 3D generated face which makes it more believable that you are talking to someone. Alice is also more conversational than Eliza and is aware that she is a robot. She has also been given a more developed identity than Eliza, as Alice can tell you how old she is, where she grew up and who her programmer is. Alice is able to have a continuous conversation with you which implies some sort of memory unlike Eliza who only refers to your previous statement, repeats certain phrases and asks you a lot of question.These forms of AI respond to human emotions found in everyday conversations. You could say these forms of AI were designed to replicate the way humans interact and think.

Robots can also be used to advertise certain branded products through the use of social networking. These type of robots respond to information through the use of trigger words or key phrases. For example, someone could post a tweet about containing the word 'skin' or 'pimple' and automatically get a reply from a bot trying to sell them the latest skin care products and encouraging them to click on the link. But as humans, we know the person trying to sell this skincare product to us a robot. The robot could come up several times depending how many times you use the trigger words and the robot would say the same thing each time.

Search Engines are also a type of Artificial Intelligence, although they are are softer than robots.Instead of being created to think like us, search engines make life more easier for humans by processing large amounts of information. Search engines also react to trigger words and phrases by us, but on a much larger scale than would be available on a social networking site.

How do we interact with Design?

The user interface is the in which people interact with a machine, device, or programme. In 'User interface design' (2005) Souren Lausen describes user interface as 'the part of the sysytem you see hear and feel.' The user interface also allows people to control a system by putting in information which responds to the person's activity. Interface design's such as the command line allowed people to type instructions for a machine to follow. The command line was a text only user face. This differs from the way people input information through graphical interface or using the mouse. The graphical user interface is more user friendly. Instead of text, the graphical interface uses graphical icons and visiual indicators, allowing people to interact with a system in more ways than than before. Graphical interface aslo developed the use of colours which can enhance a person's experience when using the design interface. The colour scheme for a site such a facebook is white and blue. The colour scheme for myspace is also white and blue, but allows people the option to change their background colour to create a new experience. The creation of the mouse pointer by Douglas Engelbart works with the graphical interface. Users are able to see the mouse as a cursor on the screen and are able to click on information created by links.

Handheld devices such as the iPhone has enhanced the interaction between people and mechanical devices. With the increase invention of the touch type screen feature, people are able to use their finger or a pen as a cursor to directly control what they see on the screen. They have the ability to control what they see even when they are on the go.

Are we becoming Cyborgs?

A cyborg - the short term for cybernetic organism is being that is made up of both mechanical and human body parts. Cyborgs are commonly used in Sci-fi programmes and they are often portrayed as having abilites that superceed a human's ability, as a result of technology.

How much privacy do we have online?

With the increase in search engines and social networking sites, how much privacy do we really have online? Apprently, not alot.

It all starts off with how much information we choose to put on line. Even if a person decides to write a blog, they can upload a picture of themselves and a write a short bio of themselves. The blog itself acts as an diary, with added features, such as the abilty to add pictures and videos, and of course the tagging tool. However, because it is an 'online diary' they share their personal thoughts, and could include name places and their location, making it easy for people to find them. They could also mention names of people who may be recognized by the people reading the blog posts.

Perhaps it's also the fact that people are naturally willing to share more information online. Some people put in information about themselves on facebook without a second fault. Do they have the right to be upset if the information they made available is used by third parties?

Facebook is a social networking site which has had numerous contrroversy over their privacy controls. There have been some times where users seem to be 'forced' to share information about themselves, that they wouldn't want people who are not on their friends list to see. However, recently, facebook have decided to temporaraily disable the feature for users to share their address and mobile number to third parties.

More of the story is here

How has language evolved?

Web 2.0 has allowed people to communicate more with other. This includes sharing and working together to produce information within the 'online community.' The online community even have their own language which differs to normal lanugage. The words used in cyberspace are often shortened words of everyday words, because the user is normally typing, and does this to save time. It is also used more by the younger generation who are more familiar with technology and creating this language could make them feel as if they belong in this community, because they understand what's going on inside it. This language has also become intergrated within everyday language. A text message could read something like 'How r u, wht u gt plnned 2day?' Reading 'How are you, what have you got planned today?

Language has also evolved through the use of 'emoticons' - using punctuation to create facial expressions, although on the screen they will appear sideways. Upgraded uses of emoticons which can be seen on places like msn or blackberry messenger are more graphic, and can either be static or animated.

Available emoticons for use on MSN 

 
This lanugage has also led some people to believe that the proper use of english is being lost, and is contributing to the reason why the younger generation are finding it harder and harder write english.

Is all Web 2.0 Useful?

Terry flew ('New media - 3rd edition') described the difference between web 1.0 and 2.0 as "move from personal websites to blogs and blog site aggregation, from publishing to participation, from web content as the outcome of large up-front investment to an ongoing and interactive process, and from content management systems to links based on tagging'' 

Web 2.0 is arguably the updated version of web 1.0. With the help of broandband and wireless connections we have moved on from simple web pages, HTML, limited graphics and hyperlinks to modern interfaces, social networking such as facebook and twitter and an increase in user generated content such as youtube, wikipedia and blogging. The web, which was once used to link information together is now used to link people together to share information. In Web 2.0, the user is more involved. The user chooses what they upload and user chooses what information they want to find out. Web 2.0 allows users to communicate and network with each other more than before. Social networking websites such as facebook and twitter provide entertainment but also act as a means to spread worldwide news, and increase marketing and advertising sales.

However, although web 2.0 is useful, there are still some things to consider. The web is not regulated therefore, anyone can upload content and share it all over the world, without necessarily asking for permission to upload it if the image doesn't belong to the user.

How has technology become more intergrated with real life?

Cyberspace was once a place which only took place online. Now with the increasing development of technology, it can be argued that some forms of cyberspace are starting to become part of everyday reality.

In the 'Hacker Crackdown' Bruce Sterling described cyberspace as ' as the `place` where a telephone conversation appears to occur. Not inside your actual phone, the plastic device on your desk. Not inside the other person's phone, in some other city. _The_place_between_ the phones. The indefinate place _out_there_, where the two of you, human beings, actually meet and communicate.

With the growth of technology, real life space is merging with virtual life space to create augmented reality- A 3D space which reacts to a person's movements to change the perception of what they see. This makes the barrier between cyberspace and reality closer to the person.You would need a camera, compass or markers to be used on location.

Here are some videos I found using augmented reality

Who are we when we are in cyberspace?

As technology, and the way we use it have changed, our identites online have also changed over time. We have the power to create another 'us' through cyberspace, perhaps sometimes creating the person we would rather want to be online, instead of real life.

Chat room's allowed people to communicate with each other, giving the feeling of 'online community'. You selected the room you wanted to be with and communicate with people aslo in that room. Your had your 'username', allowing people to identify who are are.

An example of a chat room conversation taking place

An example of AOL chat room names

Homepages were also a popular tool used by people to create and share information about themselves with other people online. This allowed the developlment of personal identity and  freedom of expression, as they could write a description of themselves, as well as uploading photos of themselves and their family/friends. People visiting the website would have the option to 'sign' the guestbook, where they could leave a comment. This could be seen as the equivalent of facebook when you write on someone's wall. Facbook can be seen as the updated version of a personal homepage with added features such as 'tagging' and 'updating your status'. Perhaps the major difference between facebook and the homepage is you had more control over what you wanted your readers to see on your hompeage. Although facebook has privacy settings, there are still some information that you could be sharing without your knowledge. There were various hompage hosts such as geocites, freewebs, and piczo, ect, many of which have now closed down.

There are also Virtual reality games such as SIMS and second life where you can create a a whole new world and identity with the use of 3D graphics. You might also be able to chat to other real life people online. Some people may even meet up online but be dissapointed as they might not be who they portrayed online in real life.

Second life

SIM's