Journal Entry #5

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming an online phenomenon being used as a type of game being used to entertain us. A site like Cleverbot (http://www.cleverbot.com/) is an artificial intelligence that someone can use to carry an entertaining conversation with. Literally type in anything and the site will answer and all without a human body behind the controls. The interesting aspect of the program is that the creators seemed to have programed cleverbot with an attitude. It’s nearly defiant suggesting it has something to prove to the user with a snappy response. Another interesting artificial intelligence engine is Akinator (http://en.akinator.com/), a web genius that plays a game similar to twenty questions with you in regards to a person (fictional or real) and answering with amazing accuracy.

            With all these toy-like A.I. programs in existence it begs the question when the next step will occur to solidify this intelligence in all of our lives. The closest thing we have to this is Apple’s Siri (http://www.apple.com/ios/siri/), the virtual assistant. You can ask her plenty and she’ll respond with information “of her own” or set up a Google search for you. With the human race striving for more digital technologies are we prepared to accept what happens when we become too reliant on these artificial intelligences?

"Akinator, the Web Genius." Akinator, the Web Genius. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 June 2013.

"Apple - IOS 6 - Use Your Voice to Do Even More with Siri." Apple - IOS 6 - Use Your Voice to Do Even More with Siri. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 June 2013.

"Cleverbot.com - a Clever Bot - Speak to an AI with Some Actual Intelligence?"Cleverbot. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 June 2013.

Journal Entry 4

GIZMODO: How Regular Movies Become IMAX Movies

I assume a great number of us enjoying going to the movies, especially with all these summer blockbusters like: Iron man 3, The Great Gatsby, Star Trek, This Is The End, Man of Steel and many more. As technology in the movie field advances, us as the viewer are presented with more and more “goodies” or extras, as treats for the public moviegoers. Somewhat recently IMAX has become incredibly popular and as something I thought was exclusive to educational material when I was younger visiting Liberty Science Center, to my surprise has been adapted to major motion pictures. The process to make a film we all enjoy into an IMAX film is a complicated string of events leaving many people wondering why individuals involved in the film industry don’t just film on the 70mm film IMAX is normally filmed on. “When IMAX converted Apollo 13, the first 35 mm movie to ber converted to IMAX, the whole process took three months. Now a team of 20 digital artists can convert a movie in three weeks with the help of a powerful render farm.” (gizmodo.com) It leaves one to wonder how much time could be saved if the film teams just filmed in both mediums simultaneously and how that extra power and time could be used to do other things to advance the industry. After reading the article and this post what do you think could be the next significant advancement in the film industry?  

"How Regular Movies Become "IMAX" Films." Gizmodo. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 June 2013.