‘The machine/organism relationships are obsolete, unnecessary’ writes Haraway. In what ways have our relations to machines been theorised?
[1.] (Post) Human-Technology Relations
Verdoux, Philippe (2010)
This article is from The Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, which was formed to debate crucial questions and showcase techno progressive ideas. The author, Philippe Verdoux, studied philosophy and doing research in the related topic of technology, mind and biology.
This article talks about the possibility of posthumans and the significance of understanding the current and future human-technology relations. Verdoux first introduces four human-technology relations: embodiment, hermeneutic, alterity and background relations. Then he brings out a key term “technological modification” and use “plastic surgery” as an example to explain technology which can be “materially or functionally part of human” by applying the concepts of extensions, substitutions and enhancements.
He argues that posthumans may exceed the present humans’ basic capacities. That means posthumans can overcome some limitations in possible future compared to present humans. Verdoux’s overall argument is that technology can influence the “human condition” by “mediating our perception, engendering new forms of intentionality and transforming our bodies or minds into hybrids of the “natural” and “artificial.”
This source is useful as it supports the cyborg theory, which argues the boundary between human and machines is blurred, and explains in what ways how natural body may be constructed by technology.
[2.] Robot Should Be Slaves
Bryson, Joanna J (2009)
Bryson, the article’s author, states “Robots are fully owned by us”. She argues that digital companions or conventional robots are not human. It would not be seen as persons and given any legal or moral responsibility for them.
The article shows the ethics of establishing and using “non-human artificial ‘companions’ ” in community. Bryson points out a question “what is the correct metaphor we should use when thinking about our relationship with robot companions?” She thinks a robot is an actor and it will live in and change the world. Thus, robots should be built as slaves or servants you own but “not companion peers”.
Besides, Bryson also argues the uncertainty of human identity that causes fear and ethical concern for robots. And discuss the cost & benefits of mis-identification with AI in terms of personal and institutional level. The moral problem and human-robot interaction is being discussed in the article.
What Bryson points out would be the reflection of what human and robots’ identities are and how robots would build in our society. This source demonstrates the complicated relationship between human and machine or digital agent.
[3.] Technology and human Vulnerability: A Conversation with MIT’s Sherry Turkle
Harvard business Review (2003)
“A new generation contemplates a life of wearable computing...their bodies as elements of cyborg selves”. The passage talks about the change of technology, and presents close-linked relationship between human and technology in this digital age.
People are now blurring the boundaries between virtual and real live. Under these situations, the passage looks into what psychological effects the technologies bring. It states that technologies change our human identities. The power of computer affects human beings. For instance, the artificial creatures (e.g Tamagotchis) are being programmed, which seem to have “lives, psychologies and needs”, children will feel they have responsibilities to nurture it. Indeed, Tamagotchis seems to have consciousness and not like a machine.
Besides, the passage argues the computer is the second self which magnify in cyberspace or ‘cybersociality’. People will develop their identity in adolescence. The overall passage argument is human will become “more discerning producers and consumers by realizing the change of the world and the quality of the relationships.
This source would be valuable that discusses the human-robot interactions as well as shows the blurred boundary between human and machine, which is closely-linked, and simulation and reality.
[4.] Artificial Emotional Creature for Human-Machine Interaction
Shibata, Takanori
This paper talks about the interaction between human and machine, human and animal and the non-verbal communication and its physical interaction. The Artificial Emotional Creature project was built a pet robot to see whether the pet robot could behave “emotionally”.
In the research, they also discuss the emergence of intelligence through interaction with some psychological experiments. It can be seen in the interaction between human & human, human & natural non-human as well as human & artifact.
In the interaction between human & human, they discover the non-verbal communication use more human senses, therefore, people will understand other’s meaning finally. However, in the interaction between human & natural non-human, people are different to communicate even using verbal and non-verbal communication.
Besides, people communicate with artifact such as machines and gardens, which a designer has set up the function, do not exit the difficulties in communication. This research would help to understand why robots are intended as a tool.
(Shibata, p.2271)
This source is help to explain the human-robot interaction. And it does not just illustrate a type of boundaries, but various types of interaction and relationship.
[5.] Human-Robot Interactions: A survey
Baharnah, Mohammed A1& Fahrmann, Samantha L.
This paper talks about different aspects of human-robot interactions. The Author, Baharnah and Samantha, argues that the interaction between human and robot is a combination of different forms of communication. To develop a well human-robot interaction, they illustrate an operating system model of human-robot interaction.
That function of a robot should include recognizing people, transmitting information, sharing interests with others, memorizing history and recovering from their mistakes etc. in order to make robot can be socialize with human. So in this process, robots are performing a mental simulation of the interaction.
To be effective, the robot also can equip a sensor, microphone and a stereo vision system. Human would choose the proper robot operating system in different environment. Therefore, the robot may communicate with human in both verbal and non-verbal forms. However, there is a main concern in human robotic interaction - ethical issues.
This source is useful for understanding the concept of establishing human-robot interaction, such as know more about Japanese’ robot development.
Reference
1. Verdoux, Philippe (2010) ‘(Post) Human-Technology Relations.’
http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/verdoux20100329/ (accessed 14 March 2011)
2. Bryson, Joanna J (2009) ‘Robot Should Be Slaves.’ http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.153.2117&rep=rep1&type=pdf (accessed 14 March 2011)
3. Harvard business Review (2003) ‘Technology and human Vulnerability: A Conversation with MIT’s Sherry Turkle’ http://web.mit.edu/sturkle/www/pdfsforstwebpage/TurkleHBR.pdf (accessed 14 March 2011)
4. Shibata, Takanori (n.d.) ‘Artificial Emotional Creature for Human-Machine Interaction.’
http://rit.kaist.ac.kr/home/EE788LN?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=5.5_Interpretation+in+Physical+Interaction+between+Human+and+Artificial+Emotional+Creature.pdf (accessed 14 March 2011)
5. Baharnah, Mohammed A1& Fahrmann, Samantha L. (n.d.) ‘Human-Robot Interactions: A survey.’ http://www.cs.uni.edu/~schafer/courses/previous/161/spring2009/proceedings/papers/paperD.pdf (accessed 14 March 2011)
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