Week Seven

Ok so this week we had a lecture at SEATS to discuss the test and the Blog requirements. I have done the test and got 22/30 on the multiple choice questions.
This week we are looking at Digital Automata. I have had a little trouble with Moodle this week, there was a second power point presentation with a voice over but I could not get it to work.

1) Check this link to my ‘intelligent’ cybertwin which I also mentioned in the Powerpoint. You may like to create your own cybertwin as well. The more you 'train' your twin, the better the responses will be. While it is just a fun exercise, Think of the opportunities. Imagine if we had a cybertwin that could answer your questions about the course. Or perhaps a shopping assistant?

So the first thing we were to do this week was check out Ian's cybertwin. I had a chat to 'him' and was fairly amused with the response. Having met Ian once I think his cybertwin has far less tact than the real Ian does. I think I would want my own twin to be a little nicer to people before I would let it represent me in business. That said the whole thing was fun and good for a laugh. Here is a copy of the conversation Ian's 'twin' and I had (the you in the transcript is referring to me and the conversation is highlighted):

You: Hi Ian how are you?

Ian: My brain aches all the time and I can't seem to get interested in anything but doom and gloom? Am I ill or just rotten?

You: maybe ill?

Ian: I am the ultimate being, master of the dark place behind the fridge. Do not say maybe to me.

Ian: Have you thought about studying eBusiness?

You: yes.

Ian: I will do what ever I want.

You: ok fair enough.

Ian: Really matt Hams, you must articulate at length if you are going to become dastardly in any effective kind of way!

Ian: What job do you se yourself doing in 10 years?

You: running my business in the pet industry.

Ian: Pets are a waste of money, that could otherwise be spent on dynamite or spraycans.
So there you have it..... A little strange I know.......

2) Write a one paragraph describing the Turing test and another paragraph describing an argument against the Turing Test, known as the about the Chinese room

The Turing test is described as a test that assesses a machine's ability to think or understand. The tests original form was a person talking to another person and a computer. The conversation was text based from a key board and if the person conducting the test could not distinguish between the computer and the other person, then the computer passed the test. I am finding it hard to source my answer because I have read lots of different sites about this and this answer is my own spin on all that I have read. This article from Stanford university was interesting and discusses the test at length. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/turing-test/

The Chinese room is an argument put forward by John Searle. From what I can gather Searle's main argument is that no machine truly has the ability to think and that all machines are limited to the depth of their programing. The analogy Searle uses is a good one and after my research I think I am with Searle. His analogy is that of a man in a room being passed notes under the door in Chinese. In the room the man has instructions about what he must do, these include some Chinese symbols that the man must copy and send back. If the man follows the instructions he need not know what the messages in Chinese say. In this same way a machine must only follow the instructions given to it to complete the task at hand. So if it follows the instructions (programing) given to it it will achieve the goal, yet it will not truly understand what it has done. A good example I thought of to demonstrate this would be if a computer was to be used to track fatalities in the military. The information could be processed by the machine and based on the numbers given to it, it could send out notice to the families of the deceased. However the machine would not understand that the information was sad, sensitive and that it may upset the family that is receiving it. the computer would achieve the goal but not with any consciousness about what it had done. 

3) Can virtual agents succeed in delivering high-quality customer service over the Web? Think of examples which support or disprove the question or just offer an opinion based on your personal experience. Write you answer on your blog page or express an opinion on this voice discussion board (it's simple to join). If you choose this option please link (live in an hour or so) to it from your blog page.

I have answered this question on the voice discussion board click the link and you will be taken to the board and you will be able to hear my post.