ASU - Group 3 Project

Slide 1: 

"When is an individual not an individual, but part of others, connected, networked, singularity?“ Appalachian State University – Fall 2010 New Media and Global Education – Dr. Roberto Muffoletto

Slide 2: 

Jason Guthrie Tommaso Sanna Shelly Williams

Slide 3: 

*1. Accelerating returns* *2. Advances in genetics* *3. Advances in nanotechnologies* *4. Advances in robotics* *5. Advances in computational capacities* *6. Advances in understanding human intelligence* *7. Virtual reality is beginning to complement reality* *8. Paradigm shifts in thought and the senses are emerging as important cultural software* *9. Accelerating technological change is accelerating social change*

Slide 4: 

Sign #1‘Accelerating returns’ “One conversation centered on the ever accelerating progress of technology and changes in the mode of human life, which gives the appearance of approaching some essential singularity in the history of the race beyond which human affairs, as we know them, could not continue.” Stanislaw Marcin Ulam while referring to a conversation with John von Neumann - 1958

Evolution: not an “intuitive linear” view : 

Evolution: not an “intuitive linear” view An analysis of the history of technology shows that technological change is exponential, contrary to the common-sense 'intuitive linear' view. So we won't experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century—it will be more like 20,000 years of progress (at today's rate). The 'returns,' such as chip speed and cost-effectiveness, also increase exponentially. There's even exponential growth in the rate of exponential growth. Within a few decades, machine intelligence will surpass human intelligence, leading to the Singularity. Source: http://www.kurzweilai.net/the-law-of-accelerating-returns

Jump! : 

Jump! If technological and biological evolution grow together exponentially, who or what will jump to the next level?

Sign #2‘Advances in genetics’ : 

Sign #2‘Advances in genetics’ To upgrade is human: “We're essentially using technology to just jam evolution into fast forward. It's not at all clear where it's going to take us. But in five to ten years we're going to start see some very profound changes” Gregory Stock speech at Ted conference - 2003 Source: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/gregory_stock_to_upgrade_is_human.html

How are you? : 

How are you? Using biotechnology and genome manipulation it will be possible to prevent many diseases and make new and more effective drugs.

Sign #3‘Advances in nanotechnologies’ : 

An “invisible” revolution “with the term nanotechnology one indicates the capability of observing, measuring, and manipulating matter at atomic and molecular level […] The possibilities of application are literally endless…” Sign #3‘Advances in nanotechnologies’ Source: Nanotec IT - Italian Centre for Nanotechnology

Size matters : 

Size matters With nanobots implants in the brain, our mind and thoughts possibilities will expand and grow. "First we build the tools, then they build us“ Marshall McLuhan

So who’s next? : 

So who’s next? Maybe we think that a posthuman species will look like this: But probably will look more like this: a human being… apparently

Slide 12: 

“One of the oldest dreams of the robotic community - intelligent, mobile, cooperative as well as humanoid robots - starts to become reality…” Peter Kopacek Kopacek, P. (2005). Advances in Robotics. Computer Aided Systems Theory � EUROCAST 2005, 3643, 549-558. Retrieved November 22, 2010, from http://www.springerlink.com/content/p15144804634111u/. DOI: 10.1007/11556985_72

Slide 13: 

Representations of Robots in film are popular, and modern depictions borrow heavily from the past. Here we see the famous C3PO and R2D2 from “Star Wars,” the clear connection between Johnny 5 of “Short Circuit” and “Wall-E,” and the touchingly human portrayal of David in A.I.

Slide 14: 

Robotic Arms used for precision in Surgery Solar-powered autonomous underwater robots monitoring the waters of lakes and rivers. Two-legged networked robots in post offices.

Slide 15: 

Consider how far personal computing technology has come in a short 30-40 years.

Slide 16: 

Consider that an entry-level iPad can hold over 16,000 Books. This kind of access to knowledge was unattainable at the time we were born. What once took lifetimes to write and preserve can be downloaded in seconds from anywhere in the world.

Slide 17: 

“NASA Ames, Intel and SGI will work together on a project called Pleiades to develop a system with a capacity of one Petaflops peak performance by 2009 and a system with a peak performance of 10 Petaflops by 2012.” (Source: http://www.kurzweilai.net/massive-208-million-petascale-computer-gets-green-light) .

Slide 18: 

“Computers today exceed human intelligence in a broad variety of intelligent YET NARROW domains such as playing chess, diagnosing certain medical conditions, buying and selling stocks, and guiding cruise missiles. Yet, HUMAN INTELLIGENCE overall remains far more supple and flexible.” (Kurzweil 1999, p. 2). (Source: Kurzweil, R. (1999). The age of spiritual machines: when computers exceed human intelligence. New York: Viking.)

Slide 19: 

Is it really possible for man to create something that is more intelligent than himself, or will it take an even higher intelligence to do so?

Slide 20: 

Ray Kurzweil has predicted that by 2020 Computers will have surpassed humans in intelligence, and by 2045 Man and Machine will become one. What scientific, ethical, and moral questions do these statements raise? What evidence suggests these changes will benefit mankind? In what ways might they harm life as we know it?

Slide 21: 

"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." - Albert Einstein The Holodeck Becomes a Reality (Source: http://blogs.abcnews.com/aheadofthecurve/2009/03/the-holodeck-be.html)

Slide 22: 

The New Virtual Reality Human-Interface Engineers Create Virtual-Reality Experience by Letting Users Walk in Rotating Sphere Virtual Reality For Construction ZonesComputer Scientists Test Safety Of Construction Workers In Virtual Reality Environment Reality To Go: 3-D Virtual Reality On Mobile Devices Video Games With Imaginary Steering Wheel as the Controller Technique Developed To Capture Human Movement In 3D IPoint 3D: Using Your Fingers As A Remote Control (Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/)

Slide 23: 

“Virtual Reality Therapy: The New Horizon” Actual Virtual Reality Therapy Scenes... Fear of Flying (Aviophobia) Fear of Spiders(Arachnophobia) Fear of Heights(Acrophobia)

Slide 24: 

Second Life (SL) is a virtual world developed by Linden Lab launched on June 23, 2003. Distance Learning Moves Into Second Life Virtual Classroom Second Life: 'Second China' Offers Foreign Service Workers First Impression Virtual Reality Breathes Second Life Into Language Teaching

Slide 25: 

A paradigm shift is the invention of an idea, which seems to re-explain a whole set of facts so that they can be seen in a new way.

Slide 26: 

Transition from Teaching to Learning Exponential Growth of Information Courseware Vacuum Open Education Movement Expanding Gulf Between Literates and Super-Literates Our “Touch Points” for Interfacing with Society are Changing The Age of Hyper-Individuality Transition from Consumers to Producers Social Environments of Learning (Source: http://www.futuristspeaker.com/2007/03/the-future-of-education/) M-Learning

Slide 27: 

Freedom of thought will reign Spiritual dimensions will take precedence over the physical Ecological consciousness Spirit-based, rather than matter-based (Source: http://www.devdelay.org/newsletter/articles/html/233-paradigm-shift.html)

Slide 28: 

An estimated 3.5 billion mobile phones are now in use around the world. Mobile Technology in Health Improved Public Health Response to Disease Outbreaks Improving Sex Education for the Teen Population

Slide 29: 

Mobile Phones in Disasters and Humanitarian Relief Alerting Refugees to Food Aid Deliveries Deploying Rapid Response Emergency Communications Essential Emergency Communications for Disaster Relief (Source: http://mobileactive.org/files/MobilizingSocialChange_full.pdf)

Conclusion : 

Conclusion "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” Ralph Waldo Emerson The modern world in which we live, with its emphasis on technology and innovation, is leading us to a new kind of collective society that our ancestors never imagined. However, innovation itself always rewards the individual, the visionary, and the original thinker. We are all part of a group in some way or another. Yet, no matter how ubiquitous finger, palm, or retina scanners may become, we are made so individually unique that no two fingerprints are alike.