excellentThe Robot Child Aberystwyth University recently created a robot child called iCub that was nominated to be one of the torchbearers in the 2012 London Olympics. The robot was chosen for this role in honor of Alan Turning who was the founder of computer science and helped in code breaking efforts during WWII. iCub took part in the Olympics as an inspiration for future scientists and engineers. The dimensions of iCub are similar to a 3 year old child. The robot is controlled by an on-board PC104 controller that communicates with actuators and sensors using CANBus. All together there are about 20 iCubs being made in laboratories in Europe. Capabilities of iCub: -crawling, using visual guidance with optic marker on the floor -archery, shooting arrows with a bow and learning to hit the center of the target -facial expressions -force control, exploiting proximal force/torque sensors -grasping small objects (balls, bottles, etc.) Social and Ethical Issues: iCub could change the world. This robotic child could start doing things for the human race and eventually people would have no responsibilities if this robot becomes too powerful of a device. Just the idea of a robot being created could bring up ethical issues such as having the robot do things for a human and take responsibility for human actions. Socially, iCub is not necessary for our society because most humans are capable of doing certain things on their own, but it could help the handicapped. Social and Ethical issues this would fit into would be 1.1 Reliability and Integrity because of how dependent people would be on this robot child and 1.11 People and Machines because iCub is definitely a machine that is capable of following through with human activities. Applications and Specific Scenarios iCub would fall under include: 2.6 Politics and Government. Eventually if enough of these robots are made and sufficient enough to carry out human-like responsibilities than it would be a political issue. It could also fir into 2.3 Environment because this robot could change the atmosphere we live in. IT Systems iCub would fall under include: 3.1 Hardware, 3.2 Software, 3.8 spreadsheets, modeling and simulations and 3.7 Databases because these are all IT systems that make up iCub. Stakeholders: humans, scientists, engineers and basically the world would be affected by iCub if enough are made and have several human capabilities. http://www.icub.org/ |
goodDOG TRAINER DEVICE (Tug-Prevention) There is a new device out that trains your dog for you while out on a walk. This device helps avoid dogs from tugging and pulling on your arm. It is an ultrasonic device that that is placed between the collar and leash, and whenever the device senses a tug it will emit an ultrasonic noise that only the dog will be able to hear and will force the dog to stop pulling you along while on a walk. The noise will become louder based on the force of the tug. It is also powered by AAA batteries. There are definitely ethical issues dealing with this device such as: will this hurt the dog? Is it right to have a device train a dog and by doing this will it make the dog act differently? It might also cause policies or rules to be made for using the device and when it is necessary; how much someone should use it. Social issues could be how the person and the dog’s relationship will change or alter by using this training device. If this device helps the dog and is a positive training device that trains the dog to be calm then it might go global and lots of people will start walking their dogs with the device. Stakeholders of this device include: people, dogs, trainers, and pet stores. Social and ethical issues this could fall under would be: 1.11 People and Machines because we are using a device supposedly in a positive way. Applications and scenarios the device falls under are: 2.2 Education and Training because the device aims to train the dog to act civil on walks, and 2.4 Health because this might affect the dog in a negative way. There aren’t many IT Systems that this fall under, but the closest one it would come to is 3.9 Intro. To Project Management because this technology is being introduced to society and was a project before it was actually available for the public. I believe that device could be helpful by training a dog to follow the owner instead of the dog leading the way. I do think that the device needs to be tested for safety on dogs though, before being released to the public. It could cause health issues if the dog is very old and the sound is too loud in the dog’s ear. http://www.inventionreaction.com/new-inventions/Dog-Trainer-To-Avoid-Your-Pet-Pulling-Your-Arm-Off |
poorDid Malala really deserve this? Malala Yousafzai was born July 12, 1997 was a school student and education activist from the town of Mingora in the Swat District of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. She is known for her education and women's rights activism in the Swat Valley, where the Taliban at times banned girls from attending school. She first came to public attention in 2009 when she wrote a BBC diary about her life under the Taliban. Malala did this anonymously, otherwise this would have resulted in immediate death. During 2009, Malala began to appear on television and publically advocate female education. In 2011 she was nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize by The KidsRights Foundation. Then later last year the government awarded her the National Peace Award, then later renamed the National Malala Peace Prize, for those under 18 years old. Malala was flown to the British facility to recover from the shooting. However, because of her bravery she was shot in the head and neck by Talibans after receiving many death threats previously. Social and ethical issues: Socially, the females in her area as well as her family are affected. The 14 year old girl is known for her bravery and speaking out about wanting an education. Through media her diary and writings have been spread all around, and media was a main reason Taliban’s have found out and shot her. Also, throughout media the news of the shooting have got out to everyone across the globe. Ethically, it is against their culture or “people” for women to get an education which is why Malala spoke out to stand up for her and the other girls wanting an education. Because of this being against the Taliban’s ways, this affected the lives of all females in the remote eras across their part of the globe. Areas of impact: Internet: Because of internet word got around about the tragic situation. Personal and public communications: At first she was anonymous, then through communication her name got out and Talibans found who she was and shot her in the head and neck. Now being known for her bravery, she was sent to Britain to recover. Extra Credit Questions: How would you come about it if education was banned for females/males in the United States? Would you stand up for your education even if it meant your life depended on it? |