Showing papers in "IEEE Technology and Society Magazine in 2015"

Blockchain Thinking : The Brain as a Decentralized Autonomous Corporation [Commentary]

Abstract: Reports on the concept of blockchains, a new form of information technology that could have several important future applications. One is blockchain thinking, formulating thinking as a blockchain process. This could have benefits for both artificial intelligence and human enhancement, and their potential integration. Blockchain thinking is outlined here as an input-processing-output computational system.

App Stores for the Brain : Privacy and Security in Brain-Computer Interfaces

Abstract: A large number of Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) are currently under development, or being proposed, for both medical and non-medical applications. These applications include advertising, market surveys, focus groups and gaming. For example, in 2008, the Nielsen Company acquired Neurofocus, for the development of neural engineering technologies aimed at better understanding customer needs and preferences [1]. In May 2013, Samsung, in collaboration with the University of Texas, demonstrated how BCIs could be used to control mobile devices [2]. In the same month, the first neurogaming conference gathered more than 50 involved companies [3]. In September 2013, Neuroware presented Neurocam, a wearable EEG system equipped with a camera. The system is set to automatically start recording moments of interest based on inferred information from users? neural signals [4].

Technology as Moral Proxy: Autonomy and Paternalism by Design

Abstract: It is often said that technological artifacts are morally neutral, that they are bereft of morality save for whatever we might say about their designers and users. Designers and users, being people, tend to be considered the proper and exclusive focus of our moral attention in the designer-technology-user trio, while technological artifacts, mere tools, cannot contribute anything morally. Technological neutrality, a common term for describing this perspective, gives rise to trite statements like, guns don?t kill people, people kill people. According to technological neutrality, whatever morality is pinned on the artifact is done so in error. Instead, one must refer to the people surrounding an artifact to get an accurate read on the moral claims that can be associated with its use. Thus, technological neutrality supports a strict kind of delineation between people and things: people can be the subjects of a moral analysis; things cannot.

Privacy Nightmare: When Baby Monitors Go Bad [Opinion]

Abstract: Reports on the technologies and hazards associated with IP cameras presenting examples of how the technology impacts baby monitors. The “IP” stands for Internet Protocol, as in an IP address. Cameras, computers and other devices on the Internet transmit an IP address so other Internet-connected devices know where to deliver content. An IP camera enables a legitimate user, like a parent who wants to monitor a sleeping baby, to stream audio and video to another device, like a smartphone. But this same remote accessibility can be exploited by a hacker.

Securing the Exocortex: A Twenty-First Century Cybernetics Challenge

Abstract: An exocortex is a wearable (or implanted) computer used to augment a brain?s biological high-level cognitive processes and inform a user?s decisions and actions. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are a special type of exocortex used to interact with the environment via neural signals. Uses for BCI range from medical applications and rehabilitation to operation of assistive devices. They can also be used for marketing, gaming, and for entertainment, where BCIs are used to provide users with a more personalized experience.

Alternative Planning and Land Administration for Future Smart Cities [Leading Edge]

Abstract: The long-term planning approach with its central aim of changing the urban form using zoning regulations and improving transportation may no longer be the only conceivable solution. Participants in planning and land development processes formulating plans today are predominantly land developers, entrepreneurs, and landlords. However, community groups are increasingly active participants, providing a counterbalance to the profit-driven agenda of corporations. Explores that landscape for current smart city development.

Multimedia and Gaming Technologies for Telerehabilitation of Motor Disabilities [Leading Edge]

Abstract: Rehabilitation for chronic conditions resulting from acute or progressive disease might be delivered in an outpatient facility as in the case of telerehabilitation, self rehabilitation and, more generally, in the context of home-based rehabilitation to improve the patients’ quality of life. Here we present the emerging field of home-based applications for continuous digital health, focusing in particular on low-cost rehabilitation systems for motor disabilities based on multimedia and gaming technologies. Innovative technologies for telerehabilitation are illustrated. We also present recent advances in telerehabilitation, considering the most relevant projects that best represent new trends for research and development of new technologies and applications in this context.

Mobile Technology for Socio-Religious Events: A Case Study of NFC Technology

Abstract: Several million people from around the world visit Saudi Arabia each year to perform Hajj (pilgrimage). One of the largest socio-religious gatherings in the world, the Hajj poses unique challenges in terms of safety, security, crowd control, medical emergencies, transportation, and a variety of other logistical considerations. To add further complexity, these visitors come from a myriad of countries around the globe, representing a variety of diverse cultures and speaking more than 120 distinct languages. Moreover, the majority of these pilgrims are of older age, and prone to falling ill and losing money and identification documents. Several die naturally during these few days of pilgrimage every year. Billions of dollars are being spent to improve safety, security, and infrastructure, as well as to provide better services in hopes of making the event a memorable one for pilgrims. However, several challenges remain, many of which can be overcome by implementing the latest technologies to make this Holy trip easier on pilgrims and authorities alike. In this article, the benefits of employing the novel technology of Near Field Communication (NFC) to manage large socio-religious events such as Hajj are described. NFC-enabled mobile devices can expedite identity screening and store medical records of pilgrims for timely aid in the event of an emergency, be used as a transportation pass between Holy sites, and function as official documents for pilgrims so these won?t get lost. Several of these services can be provided even if a pilgrim does not have an NFC-enabled mobile phone by providing pre-programmed NFC tags at the point of arrival.

Application Areas of Additive Manufacturing : From Curiosity to Application

Abstract: Innovation and finding new ways to do things in a smarter and more efficient way is necessary for organizations to stay competitive in an increasingly demanding environment. One such innovation is additive manufacturing (AM). This emerging technology is receiving increased attention and appears to embody a technology push, now that the number of applications is growing in an area that used to be predominantly focused on creating rapid prototypes [1].

An Anticipatory Social Assessment of Factory-Grown Meat

Abstract: On August 5, 2013, a prototype sample of cultured, or in vitro, meat was tasted at a well-publicized event in London [1]. This hamburger was not grown in an animal, but rather from bovine stem cells in Dr. Mark Post?s laboratory at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. The event may foreshadow a day when traditional livestock production has given way to large-scale growth of meat in factories, or carneries. Dr. Post has suggested that commercialization of cultured meat could be ten to twenty years away [1]. The implications are profound. By some accounts the technology could reduce the environmental impacts of meat production [2], promote human health by eliminating harmful contents such as saturated fats and pathogens [2], address global hunger issues [3], and alleviate the ethical concerns associated with industrial livestock operations [4]. However, technologies powerful enough to address such significant challenges often come with unforseen consequences and a host of costs and benefits that seldom accrue to the same actors. In extreme cases, they can even be destabilizing to social, institutional, economic, and cultural systems [5].

Opening Pandora?s 3D Printed Box

Abstract: Three-dimensional (3D) printing is the practice of creating a physical object from a digital model. This is achieved by using an additive process of laying down successive thin layers of a material. It is not completely clear what impact 3D printers will have on altering our society, but there is no denying that a transformative social, economic, and technical 3D printing revolution is underway. Our world is being 3D printed all around us, creating unforeseen opportunities and challenges for entrepreneurs [29], policy makers, and society at large.

Wiener?s Prefiguring of a Cybernetic Design Theory

Abstract: Norbert Wiener was not only one of the inventors of cybernetics, but also an early cybernetician of invention (i.e., design). Wiener operated between what is (scientifically describable) and what ought to be (designed). He also reflected theoretically on himself doing so, thereby enacting several concepts of today?s cybernetic design theory ? far ahead of his time.

Robotic Prosthetics : Moving Beyond Technical Performance

Abstract: While physical interaction with robots is becoming common in many domains, numerous devices are not appropriated by their users and remain unused in the cupboard. This phenomenon is observed particularly with robotic devices that are designed to interact closely with the body, especially if they are meant to compensate for a loss of sensory or motor capacity. This article uses the more extreme example of prosthetics to highlight the socio-anthropological and cultural phenomena affecting the appropriation and use of technical objects created to interact with the body. These social and cultural phenomena influence the use of the devices as much as, or even more than, the devices technical performance. Considering complementary points of view and theories in the design of such devices could be a way of improving their appropriation.

Integrated Energy Resources Planning for the Electricity Sector: Targeting Sustainable Development

Abstract: Technology advancement and population pressures demand that development planning be conducted not only with the techno-economic paradigm in mind but also taking into consideration environmental, political, and social sustainability factors. Projections considering current energy policies demonstrate that global electricity consumption will grow by 84% in the next 25 years. The portion of electricity consumption from fossil fuels is estimated at 63%, still representing a major ?challenge to the energy sector in the coming decades [1]. Estimating supply alternatives for increasing electricity consumption is integral to the development expansion plans of developing nations. The selected countries in this work are part of different social, environmental, political, and economic scenarios. Although the sample of countries is small, it represents a very heterogeneous and comprehensive group. The implications from the review here aim to provide an overview of energy planning around the world.

Long-Distance Telecommunication in Remote Poor Areas: From Partnerships and Implementation to Sustainability

Abstract: New transportation, production, and telecommunications technologies have had enormous impacts on the economic, political, and social aspects of nations and their people. Different disciplines argue whether the overall consequences of these advances have been positive or negative for humanity [1]. For instance, the industrial revolution has revolutionized the quality of life and economic development of most people in the world; however most agree that this phenomena is a main cause of global warming, which might have a huge impact on future generations. Digital technologies are not exempt from the complex mix of positive and negative repercussions. While the impacts of digital technologies are gradually extending into health, education, governance, and human rights [2], these technologies are being ?adopted at alarmingly different rates and levels around the world and within countries themselves, thus impacting the levels of development and empowerment of individuals, groups of people, and nations [3], [4]. In some cases, technologies that are labeled as ?democratic? and should be tools to reach and impact all citizens, are technologies that are amplifying already existing problems and that unevenly empower segments of the population, thus altering the political, social, health, and economic ecosystems in favor of select few.

Considering Social Implications of Biometric Registration: A Database Intended for Every Citizen in India [Commentary]

Abstract: Discusses the social and societal implications of biometric registration in India. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) was set up by an executive notification dated January 28, 2009, and came into its own after Nandan Nilekani was appointed as chairperson in July 2009. Now it has, as some observers say, become an experiment being conducted on the entire country.

Teaching Engineering Ethics: A Phenomenological Approach

Abstract: Two concerns dominate engineering ethics pedagogy. The first is that 21st century technologies present daunting ethical questions that require strong engagement with engineering ethics. The second is that engineering students don?t emotionally engage with the study of ethics ? in short, they don?t care much about it. Instead, today?s engineering students are confident that technology itself will operate to resolve most ethical questions.

Nanoelectronics Research Gaps and Recommendations: A Report from the International Planning Working Group on Nanoelectronics (IPWGN) [Commentary]

Abstract: Nanotechnology exploded in scientific publications in the year 2000. It became clear in the subsequent years that the magnitude and opportunities offered in nanotechnology research and development exceeded the research capabilities of any single entity or any single region, and a new cooperative approach was needed. The first step to this approach consisted of fostering communication among leading researchers with the intent of facilitating subsequent cooperation. As such and as applicable to semiconductors and nanoelectronics, international cooperation and research coordination was instigated via the International Nanotechnology Conference on Communication and Cooperation (INC) initiative, leading the quest to narrow "research to a new product cycle" via a coordinated research strategy and funding initiatives towards solving the grand challenges.

Information Paradox : Drowning in Information, Starving for Knowledge [Commentary]

Abstract: Examines the paradox of an world of increasing information availability and the qualit of information people are receiving and comprehending. Explores the impact to society as a whole.

Down the Rabbit Hole: Tracking the Humanizing Effect of John Dewey?s Pragmatism on Norbert Wiener

Abstract: In 1914, Norbert Wiener wrote an article on relativism in The Journal of Philosophy. Throughout the text, the young post-doctoral student puts forth the notion that ?no experience is self-sufficient, that no knowledge is absolutely certain, and that no knowledge is merely derived? [31, p.567]. All sorts of feedback, signals, and transactions ? potentially controllable elements of communication ? are at play. Relativism, Wiener posits, is ?closely related? to pragmatism and, in fact, ?only objects to pragmatism in so far as it seems to claim to have said the last word in philosophy: a relativistic pragmatism is quite possible? [31, pp. 568, 570].

Unmanned Aircraft: The Rising Risk of Hostile Takeover [Leading Edge]

Abstract: The use of unmanned aircraft also known as drones is increasing in US national airspace and the numbers will rise exponentially once the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) formally opens up the skies to drones in the next few years The result will be the addition of tens of thousands of unmanned aircraft in the sky, in addition to the ever increasing manned aircraft traffic, resulting in significant safety concerns A threat to safety that is commonly overlooked when operating an unmanned aircraft is the threat of a hostile takeover A hostile third party can wreak havoc in the skies with a malicious drone traversing the airspace with ominous intentions Whether of portentous terrorist origins or merely a young experimenter testing their technical prowess, a third party controlled drone can work its way into the intake of a jetliner potentially bringing it down, or negotiate its way across the skies, ultimately crashing on innocent bystanders The range of potential damage and human injury is considerable

RFID Individual Tracking and Records Management : Solutions for Slum Communities

Abstract: Many clinics and health care facilities in rural and slum areas in India and elsewhere have limited or no patient records, and in some cases not even paper-based systems. This makes continued patient care challenging, with no history of previous conditions or medications.

Resistance Is Not Futile, nil desperandum [Editorial]

Abstract: esistance is futile” is a catchphrase that has become synonymous with the adoption of new technologies [1]. The idea was popularized with its use in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, where the “Borg,” a cybernetically enhanced humanoid drone, has a role to play in forcing other species into a collective to connect to the “hive mind” [3]. The Borg’s singular goal is the consumption of technology, not wealth or political power. If we track back to the origins of the phrase “resistance is futile” in science fiction film, we can find variants such as “resistance is useless”, and “your struggles are futile.” The exact phrase “resistance is futile” was first used in Space: 1999 (1978), and later in an episode of Doctor Who’s “The Cybermen” (1983). In the written form, refer to Douglas Adams’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (1979) and his radio series (1978), and more importantly Arthur J. Burks’s (1930) spectacular short story Monsters of Moyen [5].

Resolving Multiplexed Automotive Communications : Applied Agency and the Social Car

Abstract: Early streets contained a thriving social structure, without automobiles. When automobiles were introduced, there was not a friendly integration of the vehicles to city streets and country roads. Instead, early automobiles were rather anti-social to street life, often causing great divides between the public, who felt they had a right to streets, and drivers, whose automobiles? speed and power quickly dominated them.. This phenomenon was illustrated in a montage of clips in Harold Lloyd?s 1928 film, ?Speedy? [26].

Mental Health, Implantables, and Side Effects [Editorial]

Abstract: hen I was 8 years of age my older sister who was 8 years my senior was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. As a result, my family spent quite a few years visiting hospitals and mental health facilities on a daily basis. It is painful to reflect on that period, as our whole world was rocked by this illness. My once vibrant, skilful, dynamic, energetic, extremely kind, and topof-her-class sister was plagued by a disease process of schizophrenia that would have her attempting to take her own life on several occasions, battle with hearing voices, go into a state of catatonia for long periods of time, and suffer severe bouts of anxiety and depression. The onset of my sister’s schizophrenia was spontaneous, during what should have been the most carefree years of her life. We will never know what triggered her illness but for whatever reason that this “thing” landed in our household, we learned to come to terms with its impact. I grew up with an understanding that, in life, there are some things we can fix, and some things we cannot. There are some things we can explain, and some things we cannot. Sometimes medical science has the answers, and sometimes it does not. It does not mean I give up on the potential for a cure or therapy for various forms of mental illness, but I am more wary than most about silver bullet solutions. In the 30 years my sister has lived with schizophrenia there have been numerous incremental innovations that have been beneficial to some sufferers. First, there have been advancements in pharmacology and in the composition of antidepressants so that they are more effective. But pharmaceutical treatments have not helped everyone, especially those sufferers who do not take their medication on a regular basis. Many persons living with depression who come on and off antidepressants without seeking medical advice are at an increased risk of suicide. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), an empirically-based psychotherapy, has also aided increasing numbers of patients to better cope with their condition. Yet CBT is not given the same media attention as the new range of dynamic neural stimulators, commonly dubbed “brain implants,” now on the market [1]. For sufferers who are diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD), and for whom antidepressants and CBT simply do not work, doctors have turned to the prospect of somatic therapies. These include: electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), and deep brain stimulation (DBS). If an individual does not respond to ECT (and only fifty per cent do), they are said to have treatment-resistant depression (TRD) [2]. In plain language, ECT is when electricity is applied to the scalp generally over a treatment period of between 2-4 weeks, several sessions per week. rMTS treatment goes for 4-6 weeks, of 5 sessions per week and uses a fluctuating magnetic field from electromagnetic coil placed outside the skull sending an electrical current to the brain. VNS and DBS are more intrusive procedures targeting specific parts of the brain [3]. In VNS, an electrode is wrapped around the left vagus nerve in the neck and stimulation occurs about every 5 minutes for about 30 seconds. The battery packs sit under the skin of Mental Health, Implantables, and Side Effects W

The Value of Accountability in the Cloud: Individual Willingness to Pay for Transparency

Abstract: Within the global cloud market, accountability is needed to help overcome barriers to cloud service adoption. A key inhibitor for movement to software-as-a-service (SaaS) cloud models is lack of consumer trust. ?Potential cloud customers perceive a lack of transparency and relatively less control [on their data] than with traditional models? [1]. One way of introducing accountability in the cloud ecosystem is by means of accountability tools. These tools offer cloud customers more insight in the use (e.g., processing, storage, sharing and deletion) of their data in the cloud. Moreover, they promise to promote responsible data stewardship by both cloud providers and cloud users [2]. However, the economic viability of these tools remains unclear. In fact, it is generally assumed that people are willing to pay for cloud services that would otherwise be free, if these cloud services account for their data processes and these processes are supervised. This article explores the economic viability of one of the accountability tools and mechanisms that account for responsible data stewardship in the cloud, specifically a transparency tool. We explore whether individual cloud customers actually are interested in paying for accountability tools. Thus far, no studies exist to support this claim and the actual willingness to pay among consumers may be significantly lower than is assumed by accountability tool developers. Our investigation uses a sample of lay people and explores their general willingness to pay for a tool that offers them transparency about their data in the cloud and its use by the cloud provider and possible others.

Driver Distraction from Dashboard and Wearable Interfaces: A Case Against Connectivity

Abstract: I recently bought my first new car. Since every car I had owned to that point had been ?used,? the car dealership experience was new for me. After the test drive, haggling, and paperwork were complete, my family and I were escorted out to our brand new vehicle. The salesperson then asked to see my smartphone so that he could sync it up with the dashboard and steering-wheel-button operated connectivity system. I declined. He was confused; this was supposed to be the victory lap moment, a final helpful interaction regarding this widely desirable feature to end the sales process on a positive note. It was awkward as I explained, through his continued insistence, that as someone concerned about traffic safety I absolutely did not want my smartphone integrated with my car.

Shaping Our Technological Futures

Abstract: Some important, long-term, social and economic challenges that we face can potentially be addressed by existing and emerging technologies. This article draws on the future technology growth trends and technology lists identified by Evans [3] in the paper ?Securing Australia?s Future ? Future Technology Overview.? Our focus is on how technological change can be channeled to address the critical challenges of our time and how we can shape the new and emerging technologies and systems to address these challenges. We include a list of basic technology advances that will, within the next ten years, underpin a large range of application technologies. We then identify some of the critical issues facing society, such as urbanization, water, and climate change, and discuss how the convergence of underpinning technologies can be shaped to address these issues. While the paths of technological change cannot always be predicted and impacts are highly uncertain, there are some clearly emerging trends, which point to real possibilities of steering technology in the direction of addressing critical societal issues.