Research enhancements of or through the field of digital artifacts
Scientific Innovation (23)
Find narratives by ethical themes or by technologies.
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- 7 min
- Singularity Hub
- 2018
New inventions which help study or improve brain functions will hopefully become more democratized and obtainable down the road, despite being currently expensive. Machines such as wearable MRIs or Brain-Machine Interfaces ideally simplify invasive medical procedures, and provide hopes for recovery from afflictions such as strokes or depression.
- Singularity Hub
- 2018
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- 7 min
- Singularity Hub
- 2018
Hacking the Mind just got easier with these new tools
New inventions which help study or improve brain functions will hopefully become more democratized and obtainable down the road, despite being currently expensive. Machines such as wearable MRIs or Brain-Machine Interfaces ideally simplify invasive medical procedures, and provide hopes for recovery from afflictions such as strokes or depression.
Discussion Prompts:
What are some risks that may be involved with technology being able to control our neuronal activity? How can we ensure that adoption of this technology remains a choice and not an imposition?
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- 11 min
- Kinolab
- 2015
During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Communication between Earth and space happens primarily through data streaming methods, such as video chats or satellite broadcasts. In the second part of this narrative, countries across the globe, specifically the U.S and China, work together to engineer a plan to get Mark Watney back on board the Hermes ship. While there are complications, Mark is eventually reunited with his crew.
- Kinolab
- 2015
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- 11 min
- Kinolab
- 2015
Mars Rescue Part II: Global Alliances and Human Connection
During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Communication between Earth and space happens primarily through data streaming methods, such as video chats or satellite broadcasts. In the second part of this narrative, countries across the globe, specifically the U.S and China, work together to engineer a plan to get Mark Watney back on board the Hermes ship. While there are complications, Mark is eventually reunited with his crew.
Discussion Prompts:
Does space travel and exploration seem like a good use of scientific or technological capital? Is it too dangerous of a frontier to dispense so many technological resources on? How is the development of data streaming methods over long distances depicted positively here? How does technological innovation have the potential to spur global alliances? Is spending significant time and money on technology and innovation worthwhile if it leads to global cooperations?
The Martian: The Greatest Minds on Planet Earth-
- 19 min
- Kinolab
- 1954
Once ships start mysteriously disappearing off the coast of Odo Island in post-WWII Japan, both scientists and villagers are confounded. Eventually, the culprit of these attacks is revealed to be Godzilla, a massive kaiju thought to be from the Jurassic era who has returned from the deep sea in order to wreak havoc and destruction on humanity. Scientists explain to government officials their theory that Hydrogen-bomb testing in the deep sea disrupted Godzilla’s natural habitat and provoked the attacks on Odo island. After debates over whether Godzilla should be killed or studied for contributions to science, the monster attacks Tokyo with flame breath. Emiko and Ogata implore Serizawa to deploy his new Oxygen Destroyer technology against this monster. This lethal device suffocates any living things before splitting oxygen molecules and liquefying anything organic in the range. While the technologies on display here are not necessarily digital in nature, this narrative nonetheless provides a non-American voice on the dangers of technology and innovation, especially as they are deployed in wars.
- Kinolab
- 1954
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- 19 min
- Kinolab
- 1954
War Technologies and Global Impacts
Once ships start mysteriously disappearing off the coast of Odo Island in post-WWII Japan, both scientists and villagers are confounded. Eventually, the culprit of these attacks is revealed to be Godzilla, a massive kaiju thought to be from the Jurassic era who has returned from the deep sea in order to wreak havoc and destruction on humanity. Scientists explain to government officials their theory that Hydrogen-bomb testing in the deep sea disrupted Godzilla’s natural habitat and provoked the attacks on Odo island. After debates over whether Godzilla should be killed or studied for contributions to science, the monster attacks Tokyo with flame breath. Emiko and Ogata implore Serizawa to deploy his new Oxygen Destroyer technology against this monster. This lethal device suffocates any living things before splitting oxygen molecules and liquefying anything organic in the range. While the technologies on display here are not necessarily digital in nature, this narrative nonetheless provides a non-American voice on the dangers of technology and innovation, especially as they are deployed in wars.
Discussion Prompts:
How should dangerous technology be regulated, as to not purposefully or inadvertently harm innocent citizens if deployed in wars? What modern warfare technologies are currently being used which could have unforeseen consequences? Should dangerous technology or specimens be kept around for scientific study, or should they just not be allowed to exist at all? How can it be insured that innovations and innovators are not abused by evil powers? What appears to be the metaphorical meaning of Godzilla in this narrative? How can technology exacerbate global divides and xenophobia?
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- 7 min
- Kinolab
- 2016
Eleanor Shellstrop, a deceased selfish woman, ended up in the utopic afterlife The Good Place by mistake after her death. She spins an elaborate web of lies to ensure that she is not sent to be tortured in The Bad Place. In this narrative, her friend and ethics teacher, Chidi, teaches her about the ethical concepts of utilitarianism, or providing for as much net good impact as possible, and contractualism, or reciprocally upholding promises. For more overall context on the plotting of the series, see the Wikipedia page for Season One: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Good_Place_(season_1).
- Kinolab
- 2016
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- 7 min
- Kinolab
- 2016
Utilitarianism and Contractualism
Eleanor Shellstrop, a deceased selfish woman, ended up in the utopic afterlife The Good Place by mistake after her death. She spins an elaborate web of lies to ensure that she is not sent to be tortured in The Bad Place. In this narrative, her friend and ethics teacher, Chidi, teaches her about the ethical concepts of utilitarianism, or providing for as much net good impact as possible, and contractualism, or reciprocally upholding promises. For more overall context on the plotting of the series, see the Wikipedia page for Season One: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Good_Place_(season_1).
Discussion Prompts:
How can and should technology companies uphold the principles of utilitarianism and contractualism in the creation of new technologies and their overall interactions with society? Do technology companies have enough positive impacts to compensate for their negative impacts? What do technology companies owe to society at large, in terms of advancement and social justice? Should technology and social media companies focus solely on “having fun,” or do they have a responsibility to engage in more social entrepreneurship and equity goals?
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- 12 min
- Kiniolab
- 1968
In the opening of the film, the viewpoint jumps from the earliest hominids learning how to use the first tools to survive and thrive in the prehistoric era to the age of space travel in an imagined version of the year 2001. In both cases, the scientific innovation surrounds a mysterious, unmarked monolith.
- Kiniolab
- 1968
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- 12 min
- Kiniolab
- 1968
The Duality of Tools and Runaway Innovation
In the opening of the film, the viewpoint jumps from the earliest hominids learning how to use the first tools to survive and thrive in the prehistoric era to the age of space travel in an imagined version of the year 2001. In both cases, the scientific innovation surrounds a mysterious, unmarked monolith.
Discussion Prompts:
How can the most basic of innovations grow to unexpected heights in the span of many years? Could the inventors of the first computers have imagined the modern internet? How can and should innovation be controlled? Is it worth trying to predict what consequences innovation will have millions of years from now? Should the potential positive and negative impacts of certain tools, including digital ones, be thoroughly considered before being put to use, even if their convenience seems to outweigh negative consequences?
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- 9 min
- Kinolab
- 2017
In a short vignette told by a museum curator, a doctor known as Dawson devises a brain-computer interface device which can allow him to feel the physical sensations of patients in order to deliver a quicker diagnosis. However, his ownership of this technology ends up bizarrely shaping his psychology, putting himself and others in danger.
- Kinolab
- 2017
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- 9 min
- Kinolab
- 2017
Consequences of Digital Hyperempathy
In a short vignette told by a museum curator, a doctor known as Dawson devises a brain-computer interface device which can allow him to feel the physical sensations of patients in order to deliver a quicker diagnosis. However, his ownership of this technology ends up bizarrely shaping his psychology, putting himself and others in danger.
Discussion Prompts:
How should technology which allows us to feel the sensations of others be regulated? What are the pros and cons of hyperempathy technology? How can autonomy over one’s own body be assured when technology like this exists?