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Artificial Intelligence

Autonomous Driving

AI and machine learning play an integral role in the progression of self-driving vehicles on public roads. Autonomous vehicles (AVs) already navigate across many US highways and those of many other nations around the world. The current questions about AVs are more and more focused on how such technologies will impact our transportation systems, our social world, and the individuals who live within it. Whether such systems will to be fully automated or remain under some form of direct human control is the question.

AVs are beginning to show problems and issues, that many of the public have not yet encountered or even witnessed. Self-driving vehicles represent a fast-paced advancement of our modern technology, as companies, many compete for market dominance in this field. Due to the high price of AVs, only relatively few members of the travelling public have yet experienced trips in an autonomous vehicle. This personal lack of experience can make it difficult for the public to judge its potential utility; the good and bad points of such cars.

As most vehicular accidents are caused by human error AI technology can limit the risk for the public and the road users. New data indicates that Google's on the right path with autonomous vehicles. Google has announced that one of their self-driving cars have logged 300,000 miles without a single accident. Olanoff, D. (2013)

However, the societal impact of these vehicles will undoubtedly be more significant than a simple change in the journey between the immediate origin and the destination. In the coming years, it may not be necessary for individuals to even own a car, especially when they can request one from a circulating fleet using a smartphone app. Some studies have suggested that up to 30% or more of traffic circling city streets is actually searching for parking.  Shoup, D. (2007) . The search could become redundant when the vehicle is driving itself to pick up its next user, as some projections concerning Uber usage seem to suggest. Such functionality could reduce congestion and even reduce carbon emissions. 

We have always had systems of transport in which a human driver, pilot, or captain exercises complete control. There have been rudimentary forms of automation in many transport realms almost from the very beginnings of each technology. Such degrees of automation has increased in sophistication across the decades. Many sectors of the transportation systems have evolved in this manner with automation becoming a gratifying portion of their special delivery. Now, however, we are developing and implementing forms of technology that intend to “relieve humans of all tactical control and even threaten to overthrow all strategic authority”  (Mindell, D. 2004).   

We are now witnessing the beginning of a distinctive period. Of significant transition in which active control of the vehicle is being taken from the human driver and placed within the charge of the on-board computer systems themselves Hancock, P. (2018).This transition is reflected in the different strategies of current vehicle production companies. Some of the newer manufacturers view the car as an automated AI machines, although traditional car manufacturers still provide options to retain control in case of emergencies. Questions regarding exceptional social conditions go well beyond algorithmic oversight of lateral and longitudinal control. They illustrate one very real fact: When we change the face of transportation in a manner that is being decided, we will change the nature of society itself Hancock, P. (2018) . Whether we are prepared for such a radical evolutionary step still remains to be seen.

The applications of Artificial Intelligence in the automotive industry is not limited to autonomous driving, AI and machine learning also help with keeping us safe and connected. To be successful in this sector, a digital designer would require to have advanced knowledge with C or C++, Python, AI and machine learning to find a position within these automotive companies.

Group task:

In this workshop session, my group and I tasked to develop a scenario based on the AI tarot cards we received. This one of the situations we decided upon:

As Dubai quickly rose to fame to become one of the most technologically advanced city throughout 2020. Citizen sciences have started to take over, spawning DIY enthusiasts who began to create technology to prevent Earth’s inevitable demise. Currently, Dubai’s government is using smart city technology to sell user data to other companies instead of using profits to reduce carbon emissions/climate change.

Bibliography:

Olanoff, D. (2013). Google's Self-Driving Cars Pass 300,000 Test Miles. [online] The Next Web. Available at: https://thenextweb.com/google/2012/08/07/googles-self-driving-cars-have-now-logged-over-300000-test-miles-without-a-single-accident/ [Accessed 14 Jan. 2020].

Shoup, D. (2007). Opinion | Gone Parkin’. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/29/opinion/29shoup.html [Accessed 14 Jan. 2020].

Quantzig. (2020). Why Online Food Delivery Companies Bet Big on AI and Machine Learning – A CXO’s Guide. [online] Available at: https://www.quantzig.com/blog/food-delivery-companies-machine-learning [Accessed 14 Jan. 2020].

Mindell, D. (2004). Between human and machine. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.

Hancock, P. (2018). Some pitfalls in the promises of automated and autonomous vehicles. Ergonomics, 62(4), pp.479-495.

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Biotechnology

Biotechnology in Design

Biotechnology is today a widely explored field of research with applications in the industry that cover a broad scope, from medicine and food production to the development of new materials and biomedical applications. All these applications are often referred to as Industrial Biotechnology.

We have a lot of knowledge of what happens in a cell, most of these processes are a result of proteins, molecular machines inside the cell that perform specific functions and interact with complex networks. The design of these machines, the instructions are contained in the code known as DNA. It is at the heart of biotechnology to create new instructions to develop new machines. It is also possible to use the existing instructions and combine them in new ways to repurpose the organism for different uses.

Recent developments with biotech include progression in synthetic biology, with scientists like Tal Danino being able to alter the genetic code of bacteria to fight diseases like cancer.

Moving up in scale from products to buildings, biotechnology has unique principles that can be applied to an architectural scale. The Digital Construction Platform (DCP) is an experimental enabling technology for large-scale digital manufacturing. Printing variable density concrete that is sensitive to the load condition of the building that saves on material costs and introduces new ways of construction. This digital construction platform can produce a building within a matter of days (MIT Media Lab. 2016). The hydraulic arm that is connected to the apparatus has multiple uses not only are they used to deposit material, but they also used to scan the environment capture optical, thermal and electromagnetic waves. This lets the DCP incorporate seismic load data that designs and builds the structure. Many building materials are also toxic to the environment Neri Oxman, American–Israeli designer and professor at the MIT discusses the benefits of using bio-degradable materials for printing construction.

An estimate of 6,300 million metric tones of plastic waste still circulated through 2018, 12% of which was incinerated with roughly 79% accumulating in either landfill or our natural environment. (Geyer et al. 2017). As only less 5% of plastic is recycled using biomaterials would significantly reduce our reliance on plastic. Neri Oxman suggests using Chitin (second most abundant bio-form on the planet) found in crustaceans and butterfly wings. This material becomes a hundred times more compliant at its root. This can potentially be used to wearables and building parts. One other advantage of using this material is that it can degrade in water, meaning no waste is produced (Bio-Inspired Design | Neri Oxman. 2016).

Silk Pavilion is another project that explores the relationship between digital and biological fabrication in design. The primary structure consisted of 26 polygonal panels made of silk threads laid down by a (Computer-Numerically Controlled) machine. Then 6500 silkworms started to generate a 3d cocoon out of a single multi-property silk thread. This resulted in 6500km of silk thread structure  (Oxman, N. 2013).

In conclusion, there many uses for biotechnology that some range from food to medicine production, others to more synthetic purposes such as buildings, structures and engineered biodegradable materials. The rise of biodesign puts designers in a unique position. Some view biotech as the next trend of industry, meaning that industrial designers will be swapping plastic, metal, wood, and other materials that take energy to produce with living materials, like fungi or bacteria. For media designers to be successful in finding a role within this field, the position requires for the individual to have a strong fundamental understanding of biology, the ability to leverage engineering and computer science. Skills to manipulate DNA and most importantly, to have an awareness of technological implications on society. (SynBioBeta, 2016)

Group task:

In this workshop, we discussed synthetic biology and how artificial meats can be used our benefit. The video that we have seen was explaining how synthetic meat can change the way we diagnose health issues that are affecting us. Our task was to create an interactive interface for options to consume artificial meat. For this task, I created a relatively simple menu design that would work with both synthetic and non-synthetic products. The user has the option to tap on the logo to see the menu alternatives between real and synthetic meat as seen in the images above.

Bibliography:

SynBioBeta. (2016). The top 10 skills synthetic biologists in 2019. [online] Available at: https://synbiobeta.com/the-top-10-skills-synthetic-biologists-will-need-for-2019/ [Accessed 14 Jan. 2020].

Bio-Inspired Design | Neri Oxman. (2016). [video] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAA0DfAdiIU [Accessed 14 Jan. 2020].

MIT Media Lab. (2016). Digital Construction Platform. [online] Available at: https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/digital-construction-platform-v-2/overview/ [Accessed 14 Jan. 2020].

Oxman, N. (2013). Silk Pavillion. [video] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCG0M6T5sMU [Accessed 14 Jan. 2020].

Geyer, R., Jambeck, J. and Law, K. (2017). Production, use, and the fate of all plastics ever made. Science Advances, 3(7), p.e1700782.  

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Design for the new climate era

Collecting and making use of climate/energy data

As individuals, we all produce waste daily; our perception has formed that once the waste is disposed of and out of sight it, we cease to believe it ever existed. Although different forms of rubbish such as plastic are not bio-degradable; they stay within our ecosystem. The study of ecology follows these interactions among organisms and their biophysical environment.

Nature can be described as a harmonious ecosystem that provides new cycles for organisms to live on that has been disturbed by human technological advancement. This is not to say nature is a balanced totality that has been interrupted by humans, but nature itself is a combination of unpredictable catastrophes. As humans, we all profit from these catastrophes, oil reserves beneath the ground are a result of aged fossil fuels and other plant matter to provide us with fuel to power our combustion engines to further and continue to improve the economy.

Slavoj Žižek, a Slovenian philosopher and researcher, states that we should not forget that us humans are part of the living nature and that we should not view nature as “an impenetrable dead-ground”. By “thinking this way it is that it can be a great danger”. As society recognises the impact of economic activities on nature, and consumers increase their “demands for businesses to adopt environmentally conscious behaviour”. As noted by Vergragt et al. (2008)  at the current rates of worldwide industry growth, we are facing the potential of “an enormous increase in environmental deterioration”.

Climate change has already attributed to the rising sea levels over the last two decades as seen in figure 1. It is caused primarily by two factors related to global warming: the added water from melting ice sheets and glaciers and the expansion of seawater as it warms. The effects of modern industrialisation are of one of the main contributing factors that account melting ice sheets and glaciers. Industry accounts for 37% of global carbon dioxide emissions IPCC Climate Change (2007) .

--Fig 1 --

Other human factors that can be to detrimental climate change include, narcissism. Cisek et al. (2008) have found that narcissists are significantly more likely to buy items that make them feel and look good rather than those that satisfy practical needs. It is imperative to analyse the accelerated rise of the global climate and its varying effects on the risk of natural ecosystems and the economy, and, particularly in view of the stringent targets of 1.5 degrees set by the Paris Agreement of 2015 to limit global temperature rise.

The main concern of this essay is not based solely on climate change. Climate change itself; is unlikely to cripple civilization. A fine-functioning global society, with motivation, could easily eliminate hunger and poverty, not only present day, but under all but worst-case climate change.

In order for an individual to be successful in the sector of ecology. A degree in a biological science or environmental subject is generally a must. Strong analytical skills are preferable; an of understanding of and using statistics with both verbal and written communication are “both required prerequisites”. Prospects.ac.uk. (2014)

Group Task:

In today's session, my group and I discussed ways to minimise carbon emissions. Our proposed idea was to provide recycled clothing using hydrogen fuel trains.

One of the most significant carbon footprint contributors are vehicles transporting stock to other countries. Most of these vehicles are fuelled by either petrol or diesel. Diesel fuels are one of the most harmful fuels to the environment as it releases a toxic by-product Carbon Monoxide. Manufacturing clothing will inevitably increase carbon emissions, but by using recycled materials, it will eliminate the need to create new ones. Hydrogen fuel trains are a relatively new concept that will be used to transport stock across the UK. Since the train will run on the UK railroad network eliminates the need to build new tracks to reach the consumer. It is almost impossible to achieve zero emissions.

Bibliography:

Examined Life: Philosophy is in the Streets. (2020). [video] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_K_79O21hk [Accessed 14 Jan. 2020].

Cisek, S., Sedikides, C., Hart, C., Godwin, H., Benson, V. and Liversedge, S. (2014). Narcissism and consumer behaviour: a review and preliminary findings. Frontiers in Psychology, 5.

J., Westerman, J., Bergman, S., Westerman, J. and Daly, J. (2013). Narcissism, Materialism, and Environmental Ethics. Journal of Management Education, 38(4), pp.489-510. 

Prospects.ac.uk. (2014). Ecologist job profile | Prospects.ac.uk. [online] Available at: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/ecologist [Accessed 14 Jan. 2020].

Butler, C. (2018). Climate Change, Health and Existential Risks to Civilization: A Comprehensive Review (1989–2013). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(10), p.2266.

Vergragt, P., Brown, H., Sanders, E., Peine, J. and Speth, J. (2008). James Gustave Speth, The Bridge at the Edge of the World: Capitalism, the Environment, and Crossing from Crisis to Sustainability. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 4(2), pp.38-45.

IPCC Climate Change (2007): Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, Pachauri, R.K and Reisinger, A. (eds.)]. IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland, 104 pp.

Fig 1  NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (2015). https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/sea-level/. [image] Available at: https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/sea-level/ [Accessed 14 Jan. 2020].

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Virtual Reality

Advertising within VR.

Virtual Reality (VR) is a computer-generated environment where the user can navigate and interact, triggering real-time simulation of his or her senses (Guttentag, 2010), providing an immersive sensory experience. Recent reports indicate that sales of VR Head-Mounted Displays (HMD) have, for the first time, exceeded one million in first three months of 2017 (Canalys, 2017); the value of VR devices sold is expected to rise from £1.16 billion in 2017 to £7 billion by 2021 (CCSInsight, 2017). Furthermore, generations Y and Z are the most interested in VR technology (Greenlight, 2015). The declining prices of VR devices can significantly increase the usage of VR in years to come (Canalys, 2017). The main difference between a virtual experience, and an indirect experience derived from traditional advertising, is that the former provides a richer experience. Conventional advertising formats, such as websites and newspapers, differ significantly from VR. Within VR, it is possible to develop new consumer-product and consumer-context interactions that are not possible in the real world.

Companies like Ominvirt and VirtualSky are companies that focus on creating ads. Specifically for VR Content. VirtualSky provides customers with two types of ads: 5-10 seconds before the content and experience ads which occur natural breaks in the VR content or in between levels of a game. Depending on the ad integration, it can possibly reside to a constant stream of ads through the VR experience. Jaron Lanier an American computer philosophy writer, in the video Viral Futures has regarded that “VR has the possibility to be hijacked by those that only care about making money”. This could draw a similar effect as in Black Mirrors episode “Fifteen Million Merits” in where to continue on, you need to look and finish the advertisement.

--Fig1-- 

Brand placements in VR games are a form of advertising in which branded goods or services are featured in the VR experiences. They are “a combination of advertising and publicity designed to influence the audience by unobtrusively inserting branded products in entertainment programs such that the viewer is unlikely to be aware of the persuasive intent. Fig 1 further explains this point.

One of the most significant benefits of using VR headsets is that they provide a 3D view of in-game objects. This is to say if a brand chooses to market its product, it gains more interest than a 2D flat display of said objects. As with VR applications, interactivity plays a vital part in the technology, meaning virtual objects can be manipulated, moved and rotated. From a company standpoint, this could be a great way to market themselves, a standard bottle in-game could be changed Coca-Cola influence the user. Although gaming is giving VR its boost in the market, it is being explored for many other applications. Other examples include:

The company Volvo has released a VR experience; a virtual test drive through the scenic country roads in their newly released vehicle. This lets the potential buyer establish a sense of familiarity with the brand and help the buyer make a decision-based on their experience. Framestore. (2018)

Other companies such as McDonald's have redesigned their happy meal boxes similar to Google Cardboard which lets visitors enjoy a VR experience at no expense. This helps the company to market their apps to establish a stronger brand presence. (Rhodes et al., 2016)

Kitchen Manufacturer, Wren Kitchens have released VR displays that allow the clients to see how their new kitchen would look in their home. This lets the potential buyer make a decision much more quickly, as the visual guide gives a strong indication. The emergence of VR has brought new opportunities for companies for marketing their product to new audiences (WrenKitchens, 2018).

For a media designer to be successful in this sector, it is imperative to have a strong understanding of creating a UX experience and knowledge of VR development. For professional skills, media designers would require “experience designing and development with 3D modelling software, programming experience with C/C++, game development or graphics programming”.  (Monster, 2020).

Group Task:

In this workshop, we were tasked to find out: “What kind of data could be extracted from the VR/AR applications we start using, and how could these be used by future companies?”

My group and I after conducting research have found that; VR/AR applications will most likely collect the user’s phone number, date of birth and email address. Other apps also collect additional information, such as social media profiles. AR applications can collect personal data that would build on particular customer profiles. Popular games such as VR Chat can be used to collect auditory data to tailor advertisements in their respective game-spaces. This indirect advertising can then be used to market specific products to users. An example of this would be; mentioning KFC over the microphone would result in in-game restaurant logos changing to KFC.

Bibliography:

Alcañiz, M., Bigné, E. and Guixeres, J. (2019). Virtual Reality in Marketing: A Framework, Review, and Research Agenda. Frontiers in Psychology, 10.

Figure 1:  Alcañiz, M., Bigné, E. and Guixeres, J. (2019). Virtual Reality in Marketing: A Framework, Review, and Research Agenda. Frontiers inPsychology, 10.   

Monster Career Advice. (2020). How to land a job in virtual reality tech. [online] Available at: https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/virtual-reality-tech-land-a-job [Accessed 13 Jan. 2020].

Guttentag, D. (2010). Virtual reality: Applications and implications for tourism. Tourism Management, 31(5), pp.637-651.

Viral Futures, (2019). [video] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDRN_dZNJUM&feature=youtu.be&t=1881 [Accessed 14 Jan. 2020].

Greenlight (2015). [image] Available at: https://greenlightinsights.com/2015-vr-consumer-report-infographic/ [Accessed 14 Jan. 2020].

CCSInsight (2017). Clear Potential for Virtual Reality Headsets After a Slow Start - CCS Insight. [online] CCS. Available at: http://www.ccsinsight.com/press/company-news/2919-clear-potential-for-virtual-reality-headsets-after-a-slow-start/ [Accessed 14 Jan. 2020].

Framestore. (2018). Volvo Reality. [online] Available at: https://www.framestore.com/work/volvo-reality [Accessed 14 Jan. 2020].

Rhodes, M., Stinson, L., Calore, M., Pardes, A. and Pierce, D. (2016). McDonald's Is Transforming Happy Meal Boxes Into VR Headsets. [online] WIRED. Available at: https://www.wired.com/2016/03/mcdonalds-transforming-happy-meal-boxes-vr-headsets/ [Accessed 14 Jan. 2020].

WrenKitchens (2018). Wren Kitchens: Design Your Kitchen in VR. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr6erKubrfo [Accessed 14 Jan. 2020].