Upgrading Humans–Technical Realities and New Morals
Prof. Kevin Warwick, University of Reading,
UK
In this
presentation a look will be taken at how the use of
implant technology is rapidly diminishing the
effects of certain neural illnesses and distinctly
increasing the range of abilities of those affected.
An indication will be given of a number of problem
areas in which such technology has already had a
profound effect, a key element being the need for a
clear interface linking the human brain directly
with a computer. However, in order to assess the
possible opportunities, both human and animal
studies from around the world will be reported on.
The main
thrust will be an overview of Kevin's own research
which has led to him receiving a neural implant
which linked his nervous system bi-directionally
with the internet. With this in place neural signals
were transmitted to various technological devices to
directly control them, in some cases via the
internet, and feedback to the brain was obtained
from such as the fingertips of a robot hand,
ultrasonic (extra) sensory input and neural signals
directly from another human’s nervous system.
A view
will be taken as to the prospects for the future,
both in the short term as a therapeutic device and
in the long term as a form of enhancement, including
the realistic potential, in the near future, for
thought communication – thereby opening up
tremendous commercial potential. Clearly though, an
individual whose brain is part human - part machine
can have abilities that far surpass those who remain
with a human brain alone. Will such an individual
exhibit different moral and ethical values to those
of a human? If so, what effects might this have on
society?
Biography:
Kevin
Warwick is Professor of Cybernetics and Director of
the University Knowledge Transfer Centre. He carries
out research in artificial intelligence, control,
robotics and biomedical engineering.
Kevin carried out a series of pioneering experiments
involving the neuro-surgical implantation of a
device into the median nerves of his left arm in
order to link his nervous system directly to a
computer to assess the latest technology for use
with the disabled. He was successful with the first
extra-sensory (ultrasonic) input for a human and
with the first purely electronic communication
experiment between the nervous systems of two
humans.
His implants are on permanent display in the Science
Museums in London and Naples.
End-User Control in
the Smart Home
Dr.
Anind Dey,
Carnegie Mellon University, USA
In recent years, there has been a lot of interest in
applying ubiquitous computing technology in the
home, looking at improving the lives of the home
occupants. While most of this smart home research
has centered on elder-care (monitoring and
supporting of elders to allow them to live
independently), there has been little focus on
enabling home occupants to take control of the
ubicomp technology in their home and, more
importantly, to take control of their complicated
lives. In this talk, I will present different
techniques for supporting end-user control of smart
homes. I will also describe recent fieldwork with
dual income families, the implications of these
findings on end-user control systems for the home,
and the challenges researchers face in building
realistic, everyday smart systems.
Biography:
Anind Dey is an Assistant Professor in the
Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie
Mellon University. His research interests lie at the
intersection of human-computer interaction and
ubiquitous computing. In particular, he has been
performing research in context-aware computing for
over a decade, looking at issues of end-user control
and feedback, application development and tools for
building context-aware applications, privacy and
information overload. Before joining CMU, Anind was
a senior researcher with Intel Research in Berkeley
and an Adjunct Professor at the University of
California, Berkeley.
