COM435 Poster Extravaganza

So I think that last Monday and Friday were possibly the most interesting sessions I have had at Purdue.

Seeing the work that everyone put into their posters was amazing and I feel enlightened!

If you would like to see the Tweets that I 'tweeted' about my classmates posters then click on this link to my Twitter

My Twitter

Some of the technologies were thought provoking, most commonly those that asked questions of the viewer.

The Square for the iPhone, which is basically a credit card swipe is mildly concerning to me when I think about what it might mean for enabling theft!

I had an opportunity to meet even more people in the class and have a fun and entertaining time with my intelligent peers!

It's sad that I don't really have anymore time left in the U.S.A to get to know everyone better!

Quantum Algorithm? I thought searching was fast enough!

http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2009-12/google-algorithm-uses-quantum-computing-sort-images-faster-ever

Thoughtful Gaming

Now, we introduce to you, the ability to game using just your mind!!!

Emotiv Headsets

Cyber Forensics

Cyber forensics is an up and coming field which studies information systems and methodology in reconstructing data drives. The studies done in cyber forensics help law enforcement track down and charge cyber criminals, such as internet pedophiles. Many criminals will try and destroy or wipe their data from computers before being caught by the cops, but is that enough? In theory, the only for sure way to destroy a hard drive is to destroy it using thermite plasma, an extremely hot and corrosive liquid-like substance. Since thermite plasma is so expensive, other measures must be taken. For example, when the NSA(National Security Association) wishes to destroy a data drive, they write over the drive seven times, take the drive and drop it in a wood chipper, take those pieces and burn them, take the ashes and mix them with concrete and use it in the roads. Even then, they are not sure the data is destroyed, so two armed guards watch over the road until the cement dries. In theory, and in fact the NSA has done this many times, someone can reconstruct that data drive atom by atom using an electron microscope and recover all of the data. With this going on, how can anyone know they are safe?! The information age, however awesome, can be ridiculously scary.

Just a thought,

Jack Carroll

John Arquilla: Go on the Cyberoffensive

John Arquilla: Go on the Cyberoffensive

Posted using ShareThis

The Cyber Offensive

Hmm well it may seem a bit far off here are some extrapolations from WIRED magazine's smart list about the possibilities of the U.S.A going on a cyber offensive.

Perhaps technology is the way to solve the worlds issues but I believe it should not be researched in secret but made accessible to the public also.

It seems much research is commissioned by military or government institutions.

Makes me wonder about laws concerning availability of information and technology and when it is released for the public.

Augmented Reality

Since we have been speaking of augmented reality in class, here is a nice video from the Guardian Online.

Augmented Reality Video Link

Augmented Reality

Hey check out this mini part of a story about augmented reality, it reminds me of the places near you app on the iphone but taken to the next level.

http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?ch=specialsections&sc=emerging&id=18291

Engineering Project

I have recently been looking into a project that the engineering students are working on.
It is a proposal and project that will introduce a new and improved public transport system for Purdue to take the place of the bus system.

The specifics are still in creation but in essence the new transport will consist of anamatronic vehicles. They will be computer programed to drive themselves, a major aim is making them economically and environmentally friendly, they will most likely be powered by electricity.

I believe the Boilers may be able to revolutionize public transport!

Text To Speech

This week I have been looking into an emerging technology that is being designed right on our doorstep at Purdue.

The technology is called Text To Speech. S.I.G.A.I. , the artificial intelligence special interest group, is working on T2S this year as one of their main projects.
The aim of Text To Speech is basically yo take a professors speech, convert it into text and then save that text as a viewable document for students to view as class notes. This will greatly improve the efficiency of note taking, basically eliminating the need for the distraction of note taking during class.

S.I.G.A.I. is working on implementing Text To Speech in classrooms at Purdue, so be on the lookout for this technology in the new year!

I have recently been looking into the proposed new Xbox gaming console and its development which has been named Project Natal. Project Natal is an expansion of the Xbox 360, it will now include facial recognition technology and eliminate the need for controllers. It will combine webcam with social interaction facilities, motion sensors, and of course competitive live gaming online through Xbox Live.

"This is a pivotal moment that will carry with it a wave of change, the ripples of which will reach far beyond video games" STEVEN SPIELBERG

from xbox.com

Spielberg is right in this statement, the possibilities for the use of this technology in online environments will bring the feeling of reality that much closer. They could perhaps even allow for a true virtual reality using physical movements?
I will be sure to monitor the developments of this technology and be eagerly awaiting its use in mainstream media and communications tools.

Jack

Online Identity + Friends + Snow Leopard

The emerging technology that I have been looking at this week is Snow Leopard. Snow Leopard is the new Operating System from Apple and it has revolutionized the mac perspective. Windows has had the given the upper hand with their 64-bit Operating System, but now Apple is fighting back. Snow Leopard brings 64-bit speed to the simplicity of Macintosh. Another good feature of Snow Leopard is space. As opposed to Leopard 10.5, Snow Leopard takes up half of the memory space of its predecessor. This emerging technology is sure to make big waves in the industry.

I also have some personal technology related stories for you.

Not long ago when I observed a person looking through my Facebook pictures who I had not approved as my friend. I was under the impression my photographs were only for my friends and was quite distressed to know that they were accessible by anyone. I was worried about this issue because I had recently been informed by public relations professional Isaac Holyoak that future employers will look at my Facebook to decide if I am hireable. This shows the importance of online identity as in this era your online identity can greatly affect your life.The reason that many people put so much time and effort into their online identity is because it helps or hinders your social life and your career. An example of a site for the businessperson to maintain and develop contacts while building trust is LinkedIn, while the social butterfly will create their profile on Myspace to show off their identity and attitude.

Before I left Australia to come to the U.S.A a girl added me on. Her screen name read Kim Eko, and being the curious person that I am I accepted the friend request. This girl had no explicit pictures on her Facebook but we had a few mutual friends so we started to write to each other. This then moved to Facebook chat, where we had some fun conversations. This also exemplifies the dual synchronous and asynchronous nature of Facebook. We moved our chats to the faster and more personalized chat system MSN Messenger. I was then going to be in Sydney for a day where we arranged to meet. When I finally met this girl I thought her name was Kim Eko but it is actually Kim Grey a girl I have met and liked a few times. I was unaware but pleasantly surprised. My recent addition of Skype now allows me to contact Kim from America, this is an example of how our spatiotemporal positioning has been made redundant by the Internet.

I have observed a student named Matthew using Facebook to search through and single out groups of people he wants to be affiliated with then asking them if they want to be his friend. It is a way of testing the waters through mediated communication without having to take the actual investment and risk of person-to-person communication.

In high school many of my friends would refer to the Microsoft instant message chat system as ‘the devil.’ They were referring to the ominous tendency for the intent and connotations of words to be ‘lost in translation’ and taken badly by the recipient. I witnessed many fights and broken relationships due to this aspect of instant text messaging. This is due to the fact that text is lacking in the naturally implied meaning and context of person-to-person communication.

MSN messenger does not show you the way a phrase is said only the text. Abbreviations and acronyms within the text also make MSN less personal and take it further away from person-to-person communication; messenger has developed its own type of slang that is not applicable in face-to-face conversation. This has provided a different way to communicate that it is similar to a different language. It incorporates technology to create easily accessible and quick information while sacrificing contextual content for accessibility and convenience. The communication therefore loses integral aspects that are implied through physical and verbal cues.

I hope you enjoyed my blogging.
Chatcha next time
Jack

Australia