[253] Computers that take action

[Richard Smith <smith@sfu.ca>]

Dear 253,

In the introductory lecture I introduced the concept that there is a  
distinction to be made between data, information, knowledge, and  
wisdom. In the world of computers, most of the work is in data ("the  
given" - the facts of the world around us), and information (data  
that has been "formed" or categorized, corrected, condensed,  
contextualized, and calculated). That is where computers do their  
best work, obviously.

The transition to knowledge - the state where information has been  
analyzed and a course of action has been selected - is usually left  
to human beings. Humans use comparison, consequences, connections,  
and conversation to create knowledge out of information.

I also pointed out, however, that there are parts of our daily world  
where this transformation is being handed over to computers, and I  
gave the example of anti-lock braking systems (ABS).

In a recent article on robotic cars competing in a DARPA-sponsored  
challenge to drive across the desert without a driver, WIRED magazine  
profiled the winning team ("Stanley," a VW Toureg from Stanford  
University)'s approach. The account of how they took the data from  
the desert surroundings (via lasers and video cameras as well as GPS  
reado-outs and turned it first into information and then knowledge,  
is remarkably similar to the two "C-Lists" we had in the power point  
slides from that week. I encourage you to read the article (January  
2006 issue, probably available online) if you're interested in the  
specifics.

In a sidebar to that article, Joshua Davis, the author of the WIRED  
piece, lists seven major initiatives that are turning cars into  
"robots." In other words, they turn information into knowledge and as  
a result can decide on a course of action based on perceptions of the  
world around them.

Here is a partial list:

* Road condition reporting -- When a car using BMW's hazard system  
slips on ice, its sensors activate traction control. Meantime,  
wireless technology alerts other cars in the area to the hazard.

* Adaptive cruise control -- Luxury cars made by Audi, BMW, Infiniti,  
and others now use radar-guided cruise control to keep pace with the  
car ahead.

* Omnidirectional collision system -- GM has built an inexpensive  
collision detection system that allows GPS-equipped cars to identify  
each other and communicate wirelessly.

* Lane departure prevention -- Nissan has a prototype that uses  
cameras and software to detect white lines and reflective markers. If  
the system determines the vehicle is drifting, it will steer the car  
back into the proper lane.

* Auto parallel park -- Toyota has a system that uses a camera to  
identify a curbside parking space and turns the wheel automatically  
to reverse you into the spot.

* Blind-spot sensors -- GM's GPS-based collision detectors can warn  
you when another car enters your blind spot.

* Corner speed -- An experimental Honda navigation computer  
anticipates upcoming turns and, if necessary, slows the vehicle to  
match predetermined safe speeds.



--
Richard Smith, Associate Professor School of Communication
Simon Fraser University, 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, CANADA  
V6B 5K3
Phone: 604 291 5116 Web: http://www.sfu.ca/~smith/ Mobitus: 2001 1070  
0578 skype - callto://richard_k_smith
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