Trust and Complex Technology: The Cyborg’s Modern Bargain A few weeks back, I wrote a post about special pieces of technology (e.g., backpacks, glasses, a Facebook profile), which become so integrated into our routines that they become almost invisible to us, seeming to act as extension of our own consciousness. I explained that this relationship is what differentiates equipment from tools, which we occasionally use to complete specific tasks, but which remain separate and distinct to us. I concluded that our relationship with equipment fundamentally alters who we are. And, because we all use equipment, we are all cyborgs (in the loosest sense). In this essay, I want to continue the discussion about our relationship with the technology we use. Let us begin by further exploring why Giddens claims that the complexity of the Modern world requires a high degree of trust. Anthony Giddens Modern day cyborgs are characterized by profound trust in both technology and the expert systems that create it.
Approach from Distributed Cognition Distributed cognition takes into consideration a whole social system of cognition: the coordination between individuals, artifacts, and the environment. Distributed cognition proposes that human knowledge is not confined to the individual. The theory focuses on how knowledge flows through the ecosystem of individuals, artifacts and the environment. By evaluating our work on the Group Web project from the distributed cognition perspective, we can see that our team is comprised of four individuals. We use artifacts such as computers, tablets, the internet to gather information and present our data collected on interaction design theories for the group web project. We also participate in a weekly class environment where we gain knowledge on how to apply interaction design theories and work together to question and interpret these theories. A Distributed Cognition approach to group web Pearltree for Distributed Cognition Theory Theories related to Distributed Cognition theory Like this:
VP6364 - Wireless Ultra-Mini Touchpad Keyboard Looking for a mini wireless keyboard? The new Wireless Ultra-Mini Touchpad Keyboard is the ideal companion for computer control from across the room. The game controller-like shape is instantly familiar in the hand. Typing is intuitive for Internet searching, texting and emailing. The integrated touchpad provides accurate and quick navigation with the shoulder buttons providing left and right mouse buttons. With up to a 33 foot wireless range, the Wireless Ultra-mini Touchpad Keyboard is perfect for home theater, living room, boardroom and classroom. Related Concepts Bluetooth Mini Keyboard Integrated Mouse Track Not everyone like palm-sized mini keyboard. So if you prefer this kind of portable keyboard, or also need mouse function, the following mouse track-integrated bluetooth keyboard might be suitable. As we see from the images, this is a bluetooth wireless keyboard that measures about 200 x 105 x 22mm, and weights 205g. It features 82 keys (56 normal keys), built-in Left and Right Click mouse, mouse track, touch scrolling function, and On/Off switch. The bluetooth wireless keyboard integrated mouse track is compatible with various bluetooth enabled devices such as laptop, PC, iPad, iPhone, and etc. Additionally, if you need more selections, you might like to check the Rii mini keyboard, the handheld bluetooth keyboard, and more via “wireless keyboard” tag.
People Immersive HMD (Head Mounted Display) Full Assembly Now you know where everything is supposed to go, it's time to put it there! As this was the first rendition of these, I decided to forgo adjustability, and fix everything in place with hot glue. It actually works perfectly for this project thanks to its short dry time! Mount the Camera: After locating the camera in a place where it wont interfere with the lens, glue it in (making sure its pointing as level as possible.) Mount the Lenses: This part is tricky, as the lens alignment is very important! Attach the Headphones: I used the clips that attached the strap as a point to glue the headphones to, Make sure you have the location of the headphones before you do any gluing as this is important to the fitment of the whole unit!
Hutchins Home Page I have spent my entire academic career trying to understand human cognition in social, cultural and material context. I was originally trained as a cognitive anthropologist. I believe that cultural practices are a key component of human cognition. My early work concerned the relationships among language, culture, and thought. In 1975 and 1976, I conducted ethnographic research in the Trobriand Islands of Papua New Guinea. My focus was on reasoning in public litigation. As a postdoc, I constructed a model of traditional Micronesian navigation based mostly on published accounts of the navigators' practices. Later, while employed by the US Navy, I used insights derived from first-hand ethnographic studies to build computer-based training systems for steam propulsion systems and for radar navigation. Since 1989 my primary research sites have been in the world of commercial aviation.
Microsoft patent points to head-mounted, laser-based display technology Anyone who gets their hopes up every time a tech company files a new patent for some revolutionary dream device will get their heart broken more often than not. That said, we're unreasonably excited that a new Microsoft patent for a "laser-scanning virtual image display" could actually point to plans for the company to jump into the world of virtual reality gaming. Microsoft first filed the patent back in 2010 but it was just recently published by the US patent office (and unearthed by Patent Bolt). The document describes both a helmet and a set of eyeglasses (which "could be at least partially transparent"), using two laser-based, "dilation optic" displays to project what appears as a 21-inch diagonal, 16:9 ratio image viewed at arms length. The only reference to video games in the patent is a throwaway sentence referring to "applications ranging from video gaming to aviation."
Edwin Hutchins Hutchins aboard an airline flight deck Edwin Hutchins is a professor and former department head of cognitive science at the University of California, San Diego. Hutchins is one of the main developers of distributed cognition. Hutchins was a student of the cognitive anthropologist Roy D'Andrade and has been a strong advocate of the use of anthropological methods in cognitive science. For a time he worked in the Navy doing research on how crews of ship can function as a distributed machine, offloading the cognitive burden of ship navigation onto each member of the crew. In 1995, Hutchins published Cognition in the Wild.[2] CITW provides a detailed study of distributed cognitive processes in a navy ship (an Iwo Jima class amphibious assault ship[3]), and as with other works related to distributed cognition, criticizes disembodied views of cognition and proposes an alternative which looks at cognitive systems that may be composed of multiple agents and the material world. References[edit]
Turn Your Windows 7 Laptop into a WiFi Hotspot with Connectify In some computing situations, you might need to create a WiFi hotspot quickly so other wireless devices can use an Internet connection. Today we take a look at Connectify which easily turns your Windows 7 machine into an instant WiFi hotspot. You might be at a location where there is only one Ethernet connection available (hotel room, office or meeting room etc.) and you need to share the Internet connection with other people or devices. Connectify is a free utility which is light on system resources and makes it easy for you to set up your Windows 7 machine as a secure WiFi hotspot. Note: Connectify only works with Windows 7 Home and above, Starter is not supported. Connectify Installation is quick and easy, and once complete, you can access Connectify from the icon in the Taskbar. Under settings, type in a name for the WiFi network, a password to access it, then decide the type of internet connection you want to share. Wait for a moment while a network address is acquired…