The ways in which technological advancement can reduce or eliminate the risk of physical harm in the workplace.
Workplace Safety (7)
Find narratives by ethical themes or by technologies.
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- 2 min
- Kinolab
- 1990
With his homing signal activated, the android Data takes control of the USS Enterprise and its systems and blocks the human crew from stopping him. For further reading, see the narrative Triton is the world’s most murderous malware, and it’s spreading.
- Kinolab
- 1990
Data Takes Over: Robots and Humans in the Workplace
With his homing signal activated, the android Data takes control of the USS Enterprise and its systems and blocks the human crew from stopping him. For further reading, see the narrative Triton is the world’s most murderous malware, and it’s spreading.
What dangers can AI cause within institutions and systems, if it becomes remotely hijacked? Should AI ever be allowed to develop in such a way that they can block out human autonomy over a certain system?
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- 15 min
- MIT Tech Review
- 2019
An attack in Saudi Arabia through malware known as Triton demonstrates that hackers, potentially even those belonging to nation-states, are willing to spend considerable time and money to hack into the increasing numbers of targets in industrial internets of things. Such cyber attacks could lead to unsafe workplaces and even catastrophes.
- MIT Tech Review
- 2019
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- 15 min
- MIT Tech Review
- 2019
Triton is the world’s most murderous malware, and it’s spreading
An attack in Saudi Arabia through malware known as Triton demonstrates that hackers, potentially even those belonging to nation-states, are willing to spend considerable time and money to hack into the increasing numbers of targets in industrial internets of things. Such cyber attacks could lead to unsafe workplaces and even catastrophes.
Is the grand increase in industrial convenience and productivity worth the increased risk for cyber attacks? In what ways can using an internet of things to control certain systems increase and decrease workplace safety, especially in more volatile settings?
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- 9 min
- Kinolab
- 2015
After a hacker causes massive disruptive events across the globe, from destabilizing a nuclear reactor to changing the value of soy futures in the stock market, Nicolas Hathaway, a formerly convicted hacker, is released from prison to help solve the case. He eventually susses out that the hacker is targeting the internet of things which keeps conditions safe for a tin mine, similar to the internet of things which protected the nuclear reactor. The ultimate goal of the hacker is to use malware to disrupt economic systems, like the price of tin, and become richer.
- Kinolab
- 2015
Vulnerability of Workplaces and Economic Markets to Hacking
After a hacker causes massive disruptive events across the globe, from destabilizing a nuclear reactor to changing the value of soy futures in the stock market, Nicolas Hathaway, a formerly convicted hacker, is released from prison to help solve the case. He eventually susses out that the hacker is targeting the internet of things which keeps conditions safe for a tin mine, similar to the internet of things which protected the nuclear reactor. The ultimate goal of the hacker is to use malware to disrupt economic systems, like the price of tin, and become richer.
What are the alternatives to keeping workplace safety operations in the hands of digital technologies and internets of things? What are the alternatives to keeping economic markets in the hands of digital technologies? Could total safety from hacking ever be achieved? Could hacking potentially be a force for good if digital economic markets become too centralized? Are there any real life scenarios of digital hacking being used to disrupt large economic markets?
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- 12 min
- Kinolab
- 1968
See HAL Part I for further context. In this narrative, astronauts Dave and Frank begin to suspect that the AI which runs their ship, HAL, is malfunctioning and must be shut down. While they try to hide this conversation from HAL, he becomes aware of their plan anyway and attempts to protect himself so that the Discovery mission in space is not jeopardized. He does so by causing chaos on the ship, leveraging his connections to an internet of things to place the crew in danger. Eventually, Dave proceeds with his plan to shut HAL down, despite HAL’s protestations and desire to stay alive.
- Kinolab
- 1968
HAL Part II: Vengeful AI, Digital Murder, and System Failures
See HAL Part I for further context. In this narrative, astronauts Dave and Frank begin to suspect that the AI which runs their ship, HAL, is malfunctioning and must be shut down. While they try to hide this conversation from HAL, he becomes aware of their plan anyway and attempts to protect himself so that the Discovery mission in space is not jeopardized. He does so by causing chaos on the ship, leveraging his connections to an internet of things to place the crew in danger. Eventually, Dave proceeds with his plan to shut HAL down, despite HAL’s protestations and desire to stay alive.
Can AI have lives of their own which humans should respect? Is it considered “murder” if a human deactivates an AI against their will, even if this “will” to live is programmed by another human? What are the ethical implications of removing the “high brain function” of an AI and leaving just the rote task programming? Is this a form of murder too? How can secrets be kept private from an AI, especially if people fail to understand all the capabilities of the machine?
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- 10 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. With the launch of a spacecraft known as IRIS, Mark anticipates a delivery of food rations. However, he is unaware that the safety inspections have been bypassed, which results in the entire operation failing and the chances of his survival dramatically decreasing.
- Kinolab
- 2015
Mars Rescue Part I: Making Contact
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. With the launch of a spacecraft known as IRIS, Mark anticipates a delivery of food rations. However, he is unaware that the safety inspections have been bypassed, which results in the entire operation failing and the chances of his survival dramatically decreasing.
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?
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- 5 min
- Kinolab
- 1993
Jurassic Park is an under-review theme park where innovator John Hammond has managed to use computational genomics to revive the dinosaurs. The park is managed by a complex security system, involving an internet of things which connects security cameras, other monitors, and defense systems to the computers in the control room. Computer programmer Dennis Nedry, under command of a briber, uses malware to hack the computer systems and steal dinosaur DNA, turning the park into a very hostile environment for the scientists once the safety mechanisms fail.
- Kinolab
- 1993
Systems Errors in Entertainment Areas
Jurassic Park is an under-review theme park where innovator John Hammond has managed to use computational genomics to revive the dinosaurs. The park is managed by a complex security system, involving an internet of things which connects security cameras, other monitors, and defense systems to the computers in the control room. Computer programmer Dennis Nedry, under command of a briber, uses malware to hack the computer systems and steal dinosaur DNA, turning the park into a very hostile environment for the scientists once the safety mechanisms fail.
How can workplaces be protected against hacks from someone who works within said workplace? Should safety systems be under the control of a small number of people or computers? Should volatile environments, such as nuclear power plants or dinosaur parks, be trusted with a security system involving a hackable internet of things? What are the alternatives? Is convenience worth the cost in this case?