Projects:
Throughout this course, you will learn about the challenges
and opportunities facing humanity that
arise due to (1) the exponential growth of technology, and (2)
new ways that these technologies become part of us (i.e. mobile, wearable,
implanted, etc.).
To investigate these new challenges and opportunities,
you will create systems in which the human and technology are
inextricably intertwined, i.e. systems in which the machine sensors and
processors are directly accessed and controlled by the human. These are created
with a focus on harnessing existing technologies to benefit humans.
Your final project, along with each of the deliverables leading up to it, will
be done in groups. Students will form groups of 2 to 3 as follows: students
who decide to work on a software project will form groups of two (1 software
person and 1 non-technical researcher), and if it is a hardware project groups
of three (1 software person, 1 hardware person, and 1 non-technical
researcher). Each group will define a project to be completed by the end of
the semester, with regularly scheduled (and graded) contributions to that
project, done in groups.
Projects must focus on interoperability. Not only will we build these projects, but we must build them so they operate together, or at least on the same hardware, so the class can create a suite of extended human intelligence systems that can be used together.
Possible example projects:
- extended and mediated (e.g. attenuated) sensing
- HDR vision
- thermal vision
- binocular vision
- haptic hearing of infrasound, ultrasonic
- teth (360 degree) vision
- live vision of camera networks surrounding us, like toronto traffic cams
- extended memory
- visual memory prosthetic (wearable face recognizer, etc.)
- remembrance agent (https://www.aaai.org/Papers/Symposia/Spring/1996/SS9602/SS9602022.pdf)
- extended knowledge (inquiry/searching)
- direct access to google search via voice (like Google assistant, Alexa, etc.)
- live image search, press one button to snap a picture and use google lens to search for close images
- live tie in to social media > see a HUD with information about anyone you see, their connections, prepare for a networking event by doing a social media search and filling your wearable computer with important names/people
- extended processing
- basic: rear facing camera running facial recognition, notification of approaching individuals from behind
- social processing > emotional, social, body language, vocal tone/inflection to understand the social situation and provide insight to the user