Tutorials and Wizards

Our next topic is tutorials, wizards and how the apply to training.

The objective is to try to understand how the use of technology affects the way people learn, both in the academic environment (schools, universities) as well as in job training.

Throughout this unit we will be covering the following issues:
- Social and ethical issues
- Study and evaluate the social and ethical issues involved in the use of tutorials, training and wizards. These may include:
• the balance in responsibility between an individual and an organization for training
• the need for IT companies to consider global and cultural diversity when preparing training and tutorial software
• the requirement of organizations to provide training when implementing change.

Related technological concepts include:
• key terms—tutorial software, training software, wizards and assistants, help menu and help features,“Read Me” files
• using wizards, assistants and online assistants in the design and creation of a product, for example, desktop-published documents, slideshows, web sites.

We will start discussing the topics by watching two videos that reflect on how education has changed:

• Sir Ken Robinson: "Do Schools Kill Creativity?"
• Richard Baraniuk: "Open Source Learning"

Our first activity for this topic will be the discussion of some of the implications of the two videos.

AI Evaluation

Answer all questions. In the case of multiple choice questions, justify each answer briefly. Send answers to itgs.sass@gmail.com, and please remember not to leave teh room until you have checked that I have received your test.

1. What is the Uncanny Valley?
   a. A valley that has uncanny consequences.
   b. Revulsion towards robots that look human.
   c. Theory that makes up the main idea of AI.
   d. Random revulsion towards robots.
2. Can a robot be conscious of its own existence? How would that be achieved or simulated?
3. Explain how an AI bot is programmed to engage in a conversation.
4. A robot uses _______ , and ________to react to humans.
   a. Voice recognition, Face recognition, Responses
   b. Emotion recognition, Motion sensors, Previous knowledge
   c. Motion sensors, Word interpretation, Emotion recognition.
   d. Word interpretation, Motion sensors, Autonomous movement
5. Give examples of applications of fuzzy logic and heuristic algorithms, explaining for each case why they are required.
6. What are the most important characteristics of expert systems. Give one example, and explain in detail why the application chosen is an expert system.
7. Will robots’ intelligence surpass that of humans? Discuss. Use technical terms and data to support your answer.
   

Analyzing simulations

Creating a simulation is a very complex endeavour, and one that requires a team of analysts developing a model.

We will access the Forio web site, which allows users to create simulations. You will seelect teh free option an create a user account. Browse some of the existing simulations and select the option to Copy the simulation to your own account.

Once this is done, the system will allow you to browse the model, graphs and other elements that constitute the simulation.

After analyzing a couple of these simulations, please answer the following questions

1. Explain how Forio allows you to build a simulation. What are these simulations based on?
2. What would you change if you had to modify the user interface for the simulation?
3. How would you alter the underlying mathematical model?
4. How would you change the simulation output?

Please mail your answers to itgs.sass@gmail.com

Evaluating Siumulations

Before we set out to do a simulation of our own, it is a good idea to see practical examples of applications of simulations and evaluate their effectiveness and implications. Some common fields that have been subjected to modeling and simulation are:
- Weather forecasting
- Stock Exchange
- Genetics and evolution
- Flight simulators used for training pilots

Working in pairs, your assigned task will be to choose one of these fields and answer the following questions:
Find web sites or direct references to computer simulations within the chosen field.
How complex is the underlying model and on what theory/equations is it based?
To what extent are the above simulations being used for real-life or research/training purposes and why?
Based on the above, what is the reliability and effectiveness of the model and related simulation? (This is the most important question!)

You will be working on this assignment during the second part of the lesson today and the first block on Friday. You should be ready to submit the assignment on Friday.

Simulations and Modeling

The next topic that we will be covering involves computer simulations and modeling. The unit will focus on the effectiveness, usefulness, limitations, and (of course!) the social and ethical impact of the increased use of simulations.

We will initially discuss the basics of computer simulations by reading the article on What is Modeling and Simulation from the University of Central Florida.

Some other simple but very complete resources that can serve as reference for the topic are Simulation Models and Analysis, the What is Simulation? tutorial at Simulism as well as the presentation on Introduction to Simulation and Modeling of Queueing Systems. Another important resource is a list of applications of computer simulations that can be found on Table 1(Page 2) of Growing Importance of Modelling and Simulation: Professional and Ethical Implications.

The following video shows some common applications of computer-based simulations:



Towards the end of our lesson today, we will be exploring a tantalizing possibility by reading the New York Times article entitled Our Lives, Controlled From Some Guy’s Couch.

AI / Expert Systems Recap

Today, we will recap what we have learned on Artificial Intelligence and Expert Systems. Working in pairs, the goal is to develop an open book assessment instrument (test) by using the Test Designer site.

The test must include a total of no less than eight multiple choice, short answer and essay questions, and cover the following keywords and topics:
- AI, Turing test, machine learning, natural language, pattern recognition, expert system, knowledge base, inference engine, heuristics, fuzzy logic, knowledge engineer.
- Roboethics, implications of the evolution of robots and their relations with humans.
- Development of AI engines, construction of a knowledge base.

The assignment consists of the questions themselves and the writing of model correct answers for all of the questions. You will be graded based on
- Coverage of all topics included.
- How well the questions lend themselves to an open book environment and stimulate analysis and learning of the above topics.

The tests, together with their answers, must be submitted to itgs.sass@gmail.com before the end of the lesson today.

Creating your own SASS bot

It is time now to put in practice some of the principles of Artificial Intelligence.

The objective of this activity is to create a chat bot that features some of the characteristics of a member of our community.

We will go to The Personality Forge and learn how to create a bot by building predefined phrases at the Language Center. Then it will be time to give life to a new bot.

• Form groups of two students each.
• Create an account for the group.
• Come to my desk to get a personality assignment.
• Work on creating a profile for the bot, that is, a series of stetements that define the personality of the bot based on the characteristics of the person assigned. Send it in a Word file to itgs.sass@gmail.com before the end of the lesson.
• Work on your bot during all of next week. You will be assessed on how well the bot responds to the characteristics assigned and how you have incorporated the features available with the AI engine.
• I will check your bot as from the end of next class.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

A logical next step in the study of Robotics and its ethical and social implications is to focus on the software that makes robots acquire quasi human capabilities. The software that runs robots, as well as other modern technology applications, is based on Artificial Intelligence.

As a primer, we will refer to “What is Artificial Intelligence?” by Stanford University Professor of Computer Science Dr. John McCarthy, one of the pioneers of AI.
We will also be referring briefly to the first Chapter in the book “Expert Systems and Artificial Intelligence”, by Robert S. Engelmore and Edward Feigenbaum.

We will also watch an old, but very clear video that provides an adequate introduction to the concept of AI: The Age of Intelligent Machines: The Film
by Raymond Kurzweil

Another short clip illustrates the concept of the Uncanny Valley and its relation to evolution of AI.



Finally, so that you can get some first person interaction with AI bots, we will transfer to The Personality Forge, where you will be chatting with an AI program and try to catch it into betraying itself to be a robot!