01-04-2020-Oxford_English_for_Infomation_Technology (1171844), страница 27
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Shewas created to front an Internet 24 hours a daynews service by Digital Animations Group, aScottish 3D digital entertainment company andPA New Media.Mark Hird, Director of PA New Media said,'We have given her a full range of humancharacteristics after researching the personalitymost people want to read news and otherinformation. Ananova has been programmed todeliver breaking news 24 hours a day via theInternet, and later on mobile phones, televisionsand other digital devices.'The Ananova character fronts a computersystem which is constantly updated with news,sport, share prices, weather and other information.This is converted into speech while anotherprogram simultaneously creates real-time animatedgraphics.
This ensures that the virtual newscastercan be on top of the news as it breaks, with verylittle delay at all. People using the service can alsotailor their own news bulletins by using searchwords to hear the latest information on theirchosen subjects.Mr Hird believes the invention willdramatically change the role of the traditionalnewscaster, 'In 20 years time we could be seeingthat type of job being replaced by computergenerated images.' But not everyone agrees.Professor Bill Scott said that people prefer peopleto teach them things and in a world whereinformation was increasingly important, anestablished face was important in terms of publictrust. 'You don't get that confidence withcomputer characters.'UNIT 23 Recent Developments in IT165The rise of the robotsJapan produced the first commercially availablerobotic pet, called Aibo, a small electronic dog thatseveral owners on Aibonet.com describe as part ofthe family.
Aibo is not alone. Dr Thomas Consi ofMIT has produced the 'robolobster' which iscapable of imitating lobsters' abilities to sensechemicals in the water surrounding them.Researchers at Edinburgh's Mobile Robot Grouphave made the world's first cyber-cricket.These machines are important because theydemonstrate that simple processes can result incomplex behaviours. The robots use 'neural nets',connected processors that have an input levelassociated with each processor. When an inputsignal exceeds a certain value, the processor 'fires' asignal to other processors as output. Becauseneural nets can recognise patterns in data, theycan be 'trained' with samples of data which arethen revised to improve the response.The most important crossover, however, is notbetween animal and robot but between man andmachine.
Quadriplegics and paraplegics have beentesting computer connections for some time tobypass injured nerves, but Professor KevinWarwick, head of the Department of Cyberneticsat the University of Reading, is currentlyconducting experiments which could lead to moreof us becoming cyborgs.Professor Warwick has previously had a chipfitted into his arm which could activate sensors indoors and computers as he approached. He willsoon have another transponder surgicallyimplanted in his arm to record electrical signalscontrolling his movements, which can be playedback so that he is then controlled by aprerecorded self.
He predicts that such atechnology could, one day, enable us to interactwith machines in a completely different way. Forexample, we could soon be driving cars withoutsteering wheels.Sporting robotsEach year teams take part in an internationalfootball competition. The teams are organised intofive leagues and the prize is a cup.
Not just anycup, but the Robocup, for the players are allrobots. They don't play on turf but the objective isthe same, to hit a ball into a goal. The aim behindthe Robocup is to promote the development ofrobots which can work together. Football is agood test of co-operation for any team and therobots are no exception. Although robotfootballers are poor competition for a humanteam, each year their performance gets better andeach year the standards expected are raised so thatcompetitors must constantly develop betterhardware and software.The top league is the Sony legged robotdivision.
They use modified versions of the wellknown Sony robodog AIBO. A humanoid leaguewill start as soon as there are sufficient two-leggedplayers. The organiser of the Robocup is confidentin the future of robotics, 'By mid-21st century, ateam of fully autonomous humanoid soccerplayers will win a soccer game, complying with theofficial rules of FIFA, against the winner of themost recent World Cup.'Other sporting events for robots exist. Forexample, The British Association for theAdvancement of Science organises a two-a-sideevent called Robot Volley Ball.
The players' task issimply to return a ball within 60 seconds of itsbeing served. The objective again, is to promotethe development of robots which can work cooperatively. The advantages of having robotswhich can tackle a range of tasks together ratherthan constructing single expensive robots designedfor one task only are obvious.166UNIT 23 Recent Developments in ITWork in groups of three, A, B and C.
Play these roles inrotation: Speaker, Reporter and Judge.The Speaker explains the main points of one text using only theirnotes.The Reporter listens carefully and reports back to the Speaker asummary of the main points.The Judge listens carefully to both Speaker and Reporter and pointsout any mistakes, main points omitted or additions the Reporter hasmade.Repeat this activity until you have played all three roles and all ofyour texts have been covered.List the predictions, if any, in the articles you have read. Haveany of them already taken place since the article was written? Howlikely are the others to happen in the near future? Discuss youranswers with others who have read the same texts.TextPredictionsUNIT 23 Recent Developments in IT167LANGUAGE WORKStudy these ways to describe ability:12345Swarming robots can work together toperform searches.Washing machines will be able to reportany breakdowns for repair.Imagine being able to send music files toyour MP3 player without a wireconnection.Professor Warwick had a chip fitted intohis arm which could activate sensors indoors and computers as he approached.Marconi was able to send a radio signalfrom Britain to Newfoundland.We use can and be able to to describe abilityin the present but can is more common.
Weuse could for general abilities in the past butwas/were able to describe an ability on aspecific occasion.This table summarises theiruses:Abilitypresentcanfuturepresent perfectwill be able toX-ing formpast (specific action)be able tohas/have beenable tobeing able toXwas/were abletopast (general and withverbs of sensation)could XFor past negatives and questions both verbsare possible. For example:Early computers could not/were not able tooperate at high speeds.Could they/were they able to store much data?Complete the blanks in this text using the correct form of canor be able to. In some cases there is more than one possible answer.Imagineopen doors and switch on computers as youapproach them.
Professor Warwickbecause he had anelectronic chip fitted into his arm for a month. Hedemonstrate to the press how computers would greet him with,'Good morning, Professor Warwick' as he walked past. Next he wantsto record the signals from his brain to his arm to see if heprogram a computer to operate his arm. In the long term, this mayhelp people whouse their limbs. His wife too will have achip implanted. They hopefeed messages into eachother's brains. According to the Professor, one day wecommunicate directly with machines.
If he is right, wedrive a car from the passenger seat and weoperate acomputer without using a mouse or keyboard. However, there is alsothe alarming prospect that someonehack into your brain.168UNIT 23 Recent Developments in ITUse an appropriate certainty expression from the list studiedin Unit 16 to complete these predictions from the Task 2 texts. Morethan one answer is possible in some cases.Barcodessoon be replaced with radio-frequency tags.People areto buy if locked in to Ariston for othernetworked appliances.If EVAs live up to the developers' claims, theyprovide the illusion of personal service without die cost.Mr Hird believes the invention will dramatically change the roleof the traditional newscaster, 'In 20 years' time webe seeing that type of job being replaced by computergenerated images.'Wesoon be driving cars without steering wheels.Professor Warwick is currently conducting experiments whichlead to more of us becoming cyborgs.By mid-21st century, a team of fully autonomous humanoidsoccer playerswin a soccer game against the winnerof the most recent World Cup.A virtual world populated by virtual humansbecome a very tangible reality.PROBLEM-SOLVINGIn groups, choose a domestic appliance and decide whatfunctions an in-built computer would allow it to perform in additionto its basic function.
Consider also how it could be marketed. Presentyour ideas to the rest of the class.UNIT 23 Recent Developments in ITSPEAKING169Search for the latest developments in the area of InformationTechnology you read about in Task 2. Make a summary of yourfindings to report to the rest of the class. In addition to journals,magazines and newspapers, you can try these websites:Domestic applianceswww.electrolux.co.ukwww.merloni.comwww.margherita.comwww.aristonchannel.comwww.zanussi.co.ukwww.sony.co.ukAvatarswww.pulse3d.comwww.kiwilogic.comwww.softimage.comwww.ananova.comwww.biovirtual.comwww.i-dtv.comwww.bt.com/talkzonewww.digimask.comwww.channel5.co.ukRoboticswww.aibo-europe.comwww.honda.co.jp/english/technology/robotwww.robotbooks.com/Mitsubishi-robots.htmWRITINGConvert your notes for Task 8 into a written report.
Your reportshould have these sections:1234Area of IT-definitionTechnology involved - hardware and softwareApplicationsPossible future developments170UNIT 23 Recent Developments in ITSPECIALIST READINGBFind the answers to these questions in thefollowing text.1 What frustrating problem does Bluetoothsolve?2 Who first developed Bluetooth?3 In what ways is Bluetooth particularlysuited to portable systems?4 What do Bluetooth devices share withmicrowave ovens?5 List some devices that are suitable for usewith Bluetooth.6 Why is Bluetooth suitable for use onaeroplanes?7 What factors provide security for Bluetoothcommunications?8 How is the output power level of thetransmitter set?9 Why is there no collision detection in theBluetooth specification?10 Why are all devices on a piconetsynchronised and controlled by a masterdevice?11 What are the consequences of Bluetoothhaving the following characteristics?a It is good at avoiding conflicting signalsfrom other sources.b The transmitter output level is kept aslow as possible.c It uses power-saving modes whendevices aren't transmitting.As portable computing devices get smarter andmore capable, connectivity frustrations increase.This is where Bluetooth comes in.
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