Tuesday, January 14, 2020

B1 - Cyber Insecurity and Regulating the Internet of Things

The applications of the Internet of Things (IoT) and interconnectivity of technologies has been steadily advancing over the last decade. Amazon Alexa can be connected to nearly every device in your home that has a plug or a bluetooth option; building data sensors can be mapped onto BIM models in real time; drones can communicate with each other to build structures together while avoiding collisions and redundancies (link). These connections have stretched across almost every industry from academia to commercial to industrial settings. What haven’t developed as quickly are the regulations and standards for all of this data and artificial intelligence.

Recently, California launched a law regarding the security standards for the Internet of Things (link), and it is very likely that other states will follow its lead. It is the hope that national standards will also evolve to regulate interconnected technologies proactively rather than reactively. With AI utilizing deep learning to control devices and make decisions, it is the responsibility of all of us to remain educated about the consequences of handing over control to a program. Unfortunately, with the heavy economic influence tech companies on the front lines have, the trend has been politicians are reluctant to pass any laws that hinder that monetary growth.

An interesting software that utilizes Artificial Intelligence is Bakpak: this software can read students’ handwriting and automatically grade the homework based on the assignment given (link). This repetitive task helps the program develop deep learning and strengthens the AI capabilities. It also increases the speed at which the teacher and their students receive feedback on their performance so adjustments to curricula can be made. Typed text is much more regular, especially with common fonts developed by widely-used programs like Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Very early on in the history of text reading from pictures using AI, the technology was able to recognize typed text. The development of AI to learn how to recognize handwriting (which is both unique to each person but also highly variable even in the same sample of writing) is incredible. AI Software that can read and recognize handwriting can be useful in a large amount of applications: historical document analysis, field report documentation, and crime scene investigations involving letters or notes.

While it’s not clear what innovations are going to be made in the next year or decade, what we can count on is that there *will* be advancements in technology. Applications will become more interdisciplinary and the Internet of Things will continue to encompass more and more items. As responsible stewards of the new technology we bring into this world, it is important to emphasize education on data security as well as big picture thinking; technological developments are always able to be used for purposes other than for which it was intended. Especially in terms of Artificial Intelligence, the danger of AI being abused or used for malicious purposes is ever present. Regulations and data standards will be critical in the field of cybersecurity and public safety.


References

3 comments:

Spencer K said...

Comment 1:
Douha,

I used the same AI article RE: reading students' handwriting and how it's benefiting teachers and engaging students. I wonder how difficult it must be for school administration to encourage participation on the teacher's parts to integrate AI into their curriculum. It's hard for people to change their habits and I can imagine that not everyone is on-board with letting a computer read their students' work and grade it.
https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/01/b1-douha-alqudaihi-future-ai-computer.html

Spencer K said...

Comment 2:
Amanda,

I read the article about 3D printing and your summary. One of my best friends has a small 3D printer (12in x 12in x 8in space available). My favorite things to use it for is to make DnD miniature figures to use when we play together or for small props we need for whatever theatre production we're working on at the time. In the last 5 years there has definitely been a rise in hobbyist 3D printing and they've gotten to be much more affordable than when they first came out. I don't think I'll get one anytime soon, but I am very excited to see what new developments are made (both in industries and for hobbyists).
https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/01/ai-httpswww.html

Spencer K said...

Comment 3:
Mike,

At first when I read the beginning part of your summary of the robotics article I thought "Anyone can solve a rubik's cube when they know the algorithm, a robot doing it isn't that impressive". But then you mentioned the physical movement required and fine motor skills the robot needed to perform the task and I thought back to our discussion in class about muscle movements. I forgot how complicated our simple movements are and how difficult it would be for a computer to learn to perform them (even with the leaps and bounds of advancement AI technology has made). Not only that, but the deep learning exercises done like changing the colors and textures of the cube shows that the research team is determined to have the robot learn and not just be able to perform a single trick. Great read, thanks!
https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/01/b1-mike-sciarra.html