Robots need a new philosophy to get a grip

Robots need to know the reason why they are doing a job if they are to effectively and safely work alongside people in the near future. In simple terms, this means machines need to understand motive the way humans do, and not just perform tasks blindly, without context.

According to a new article by the National Centre for Nuclear Robotics, based at the University of Birmingham, this could herald a profound change for the world of robotics, but one that is necessary.

Lead author Dr. Valerio Ortenzi, at the University of Birmingham argues the shift in thinking will be necessary as economies embrace automation, connectivity and digitisation ('Industry 4.0') and levels of human -- robot interaction, whether in factories or homes, increase dramatically.

The paper, published in Nature Machine Intelligence, explores the issue of robots using objects. 'Grasping' is an action perfected long ago in nature but one which represents the cutting-edge of robotics research.

Most factory-based machines are 'dumb', blindly picking up familiar objects that appear in pre-determined places at just the right moment. Getting a machine to pick up unfamiliar objects,randomly presented, requires the seamless interaction of multiple, complex technologies. These include vision systems and advanced AI so the machine can see the target and determine its properties (for example, is it rigid or flexible?); and potentially, sensors in the gripper are required so the robot does not inadvertently crush an object it has been told to pick up.

Even when all this is accomplished, researchers in the National Centre for Nuclear Robotics highlighted a fundamental issue: what has traditionally counted as a 'successful' grasp for a robot might actually be a real-world failure, because the machine does not take into account what the goal is and whyit is picking an object up.

The Nature Machine Intelligence paper cites the example of a robot in a factory picking up an object for delivery to a customer. It successfully executes the task, holding the package securely without causing damage. Unfortunately, the robot's gripper obscures a crucial barcode, which means the object can't be tracked and the firm has no idea if the item has been picked up or not; the whole delivery system breaks down because the robot does not know the consequences of holding a box the wrong way.

Dr. Ortenzi and his co-authors give other examples, involving robots working alongside people.

"Imagine asking a robot to pass you a screwdriver in a workshop. Based on current conventions the best way for a robot to pick up the tool is by the handle. Unfortunately, that could mean that a hugely powerful machine then thrusts a potentially lethal blade towards you, at speed. Instead, the robot needs to know what the end goal is, i.e.,to pass the screwdriver safely to its human colleague, in order to rethink its actions.

"Another scenario envisages a robot passing a glass of water to a resident in a care home. It must ensure that it doesn't drop the glass but also that water doesn't spill over the recipient during the act of passing, or that the glass is presented in such a way that the person can take hold of it.

"What is obvious to humans has to be programmed into a machine and this requires a profoundly different approach. The traditional metrics used by researchers, over the past twenty years, to assess robotic manipulation, are not sufficient. In the most practical sense, robots need a new philosophy to get a grip."

Professor Rustam Stolkin, NCNR Director, said, "National Centre for Nuclear Robotics is unique in working on practical problems with industry, while simultaneously generating the highest calibre of cutting-edge academic research -- exemplified by this landmark paper."

The research was carried out in collaboration with the Centre of Excellence for Robotic Vision at Queensland University of Technology, Australia, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Italy, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Germany, and the University of Pisa, Italy.

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The Unique Way to Market With SEO

SEO which stands for "SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION" is method to increase your website or a page raking in Google, Bing, YouTube, Facebook any other social media platform for personal or business purpose. It's working is simple I.e it helps you to increase the visibility of your website, web-page, product, services thought organic search results also called as earned results. It may target different kinds of search, including image search, video search, academic search, news search and industry-specific vertical search engines. The browser and the language in which a web-page or website is generated plays a vital role as the more the web-page, website is readable the easier or better chance is of that page or site is to get a top rank in search results.
SEO service is one of the technology through which a single or a team of people can make a product or a service visible to users in today's world. It is a new and optimal way to market or promote a products, services, a cause, a article, new tech, a campaign and many other things. It is the new and growing way to make people aware of the things or objects the world is offering today. It is kind of a service that is use by a single man to optimize its page to small business to rank its business to multi-national companies to generate more business and gain more potential clients, but to that you should have a proper knowledge of SEO.

Many people don't understand of SEO as they don't have the proper skills or knowledge they try it but there product or page don't get properly ranked as it requires skills, time it is too technical, getting the traffic but not getting any business or less business from expected perception and many other factors, but through proper skills, time and resources you to can get the benefits of SEO.

In today's era on the firms that operate online or have a major online business knows that it is vital part of there business as without it they won't be able to list there product or services in the up-growing market and humongous completion that is why they use SEO as a resource to target audience to get the things done.

A person with the correct skills can present it's brand or services in its market or international market without spending a whole lot of money on marketing and any other resources.

So to get a better chance of success in this market you should consider SEO as a tool that when used properly can get the things done easily without any hassle. With it you also require other tools as well. So you can't get professional help from different service provider or experts who can help you achieve your target.

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Seeing how computers 'think' helps humans stump machines and reveals AI weaknesses

Researchers have figured out how to reliably create questions that challenge computers and reflect the complexity of human language through a human-computer collaboration, developing a dataset of more than 1,200 questions that, while easy for people to answer, stump the best computer answering systems today. The system that learns to master these questions will have a better understanding of language than any system currently in existence.


One of the ultimate goals of artificial intelligence is a machine that truly understands human language and interprets meaning from complex, nuanced passages. When IBM's Watson computer beat famed "Jeopardy!" champion Ken Jennings in 2011, it seemed as if that milestone had been met. However, anyone who has tried to have a conversation with virtual assistant Siri knows that computers have a long way to go to truly understand human language. To get better at understanding language, computer systems must train using questions that challenge them and reflect the full complexity of human language.


Researchers from the University of Maryland have figured out how to reliably create such questions through a human-computer collaboration, developing a dataset of more than 1,200 questions that, while easy for people to answer, stump the best computer answering systems today. The system that learns to master these questions will have a better understanding of language than any system currently in existence. The work is described in an article published in the 2019 issue of the journal Transactions of the Association for Computational Linguistics.

"Most question-answering computer systems don't explain why they answer the way they do, but our work helps us see what computers actually understand," said Jordan Boyd-Graber, associate professor of computer science at UMD and senior author of the paper. "In addition, we have produced a dataset to test on computers that will reveal if a computer language system is actually reading and doing the same sorts of processing that humans are able to do."

Most current work to improve question-answering programs uses either human authors or computers to generate questions. The inherent challenge in these approaches is that when humans write questions, they don't know what specific elements of their question are confusing to the computer. When computers write the questions, they either write formulaic, fill-in-the blank questions or make mistakes, sometimes generating nonsense.

To develop their novel approach of humans and computers working together to generate questions, Boyd-Graber and his team created a computer interface that reveals what a computer is "thinking" as a human writer types a question. The writer can then edit his or her question to exploit the computer's weaknesses.

In the new interface, a human author types a question while the computer's guesses appear in ranked order on the screen, and the words that led the computer to make its guesses are highlighted.

For example, if the author writes "What composer's Variations on a Theme by Haydn was inspired by Karl Ferdinand Pohl?" and the system correctly answers "Johannes Brahms," the interface highlights the words "Ferdinand Pohl" to show that this phrase led it to the answer. Using that information, the author can edit the question to make it more difficult for the computer without altering the question's meaning. In this example, the author replaced the name of the man who inspired Brahms, "Karl Ferdinand Pohl," with a description of his job, "the archivist of the Vienna Musikverein," and the computer was unable to answer correctly. However, expert human quiz game players could still easily answer the edited question correctly.

By working together, humans and computers reliably developed 1,213 computer-stumping questions that the researchers tested during a competition pitting experienced human players -- from junior varsity high school trivia teams to "Jeopardy!" champions -- against computers. Even the weakest human team defeated the strongest computer system.

"For three or four years, people have been aware that computer question-answering systems are very brittle and can be fooled very easily," said Shi Feng, a UMD computer science graduate student and a co-author of the paper. "But this is the first paper we are aware of that actually uses a machine to help humans break the model itself."

The researchers say these questions will serve not only as a new dataset for computer scientists to better understand where natural language processing fails, but also as a training dataset for developing improved machine learning algorithms. The questions revealed six different language phenomena that consistently stump computers.

These six phenomena fall into two categories. In the first category are linguistic phenomena: paraphrasing (such as saying "leap from a precipice" instead of "jump from a cliff"), distracting language or unexpected contexts (such as a reference to a political figure appearing in a clue about something unrelated to politics). The second category includes reasoning skills: clues that require logic and calculation, mental triangulation of elements in a question, or putting together multiple steps to form a conclusion.

"Humans are able to generalize more and to see deeper connections," Boyd-Graber said. "They don't have the limitless memory of computers, but they still have an advantage in being able to see the forest for the trees. Cataloguing the problems computers have helps us understand the issues we need to address, so that we can actually get computers to begin to see the forest through the trees and answer questions in the way humans do."

There is a long way to go before that happens added Boyd-Graber, who also has co-appointments at the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS) as well as UMD's College of Information Studies and Language Science Center. But this work provides an exciting new tool to help computer scientists achieve that goal.

"This paper is laying out a research agenda for the next several years so that we can actually get computers to answer questions well," he said.

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4 Features to Look for When Buying a 3D Printer

If you are looking for a good 3D printer, make sure you consider the most important features first regardless of your purpose. 3D printers are used for various purposes, such as model making, research, prototyping, medical, manufacturing and so on. Although there are many features to take into account when buying, we are going to discuss the most important ones in this article, such as cost, speed and resolution. Let's delve into detail.

Resolution

As far as the resolution is concerned, make sure you consider the type of objects that you want to print with the machine. For instance, if you want to print models that have a lot of detail, excellent surface finish and extreme precision, make sure you opt for the right type of machine.

For higher level of details, you may want to opt for a DLP one. They are the most recommended choices. Other types, such as SLA and FDM won't allow you to get fine details. Although large-scale items don't require fine detail. Therefore, the use of an HD printer in order to create this type of parts is just the waste of resources and time.

Speed

As far as the printing performance is concerned, the speed of the machine is of paramount importance. Time is money. Today is the age of speed. If you are slow, you won't be able to beat the fierce competition in the market. Therefore, it's a good idea to opt for a machine that offers fast speeds.

Whether you want to print a figurine, ring or a functional part, make sure you choose something that offers a reasonably high speed. Although it's important to get accurate results, speed is a factor that can't be underestimated. Doing things quickly is really important in the here and now.

Cost

Although buying a 3D printer that features high speed and resolution is important, cost is another factor that should not be ignored at any cost. Some suppliers will suggest that you should opt for a service plan, expensive materials, and maintenance costs while you already have paid for the machine.

To save a great deal of money, we suggest that you choose a machine that uses affordable raw material and accessories in order to serve multiple purposes.

Size

As far as buying 3D printers is concerned, size is one of the most important factors to consider. Based on the size of the object you want to print, this factor should be considered carefully.

Apart from this, the print bed size may also offer better resolution since multiple objects can be easily printed. When looking for this feature, don't forget to consider the technical specifications as far as build volume and size is concerned. While buying a big machine will cost more, making a compromise on the cost is not a good idea. Instead, you should buy something high quality even if you have to spend a bit more.

In short, these are some important factors that play a great role when you are buying a 3D printer. Don't just buy a product just because it looks pleasing to your eyes. Make your decision based on the factors given above.

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Should You Use Two-Factor Authentication

What exactly is two-factor authentication and what started it? Two-Factor Authentication happens when you are required to use two types of identification to log into a web site or open your email. It was started because people were using weak passwords or no passwords at all.

Normally the first factor is a password. As a reminder, your passwords should use numbers, capital and small letters and symbols. They should not be any sort of dictionary word and be at least 12 characters long, the longer the better. You should never reuse a password. If used correctly, you will need a password manager to remember them all. Getting one it is well worth it.

The second factor can vary widely from fingerprint or facial recognition to the web site sending you a numeric code via text or email that you must enter into their web site as part of the log in process. Google, Microsoft and others are working on other methods of authentication that will be secure and make it easier for the end user.

The best type of security is the one that people will use. Two-Factor Authentication takes a little longer to log into a web site, it will add 15-30 seconds. That time would be time well spent to protect your security. Web sites; especially banks, financial and health care sites, want to be sure that when a user logs in it is in fact the correct person. This is very difficult to do with just a password. Think about all the passwords stolen last year due to hackers.

This is where your phone is used to confirm your identity. Say you log into your bank's web site. If you use your phone for that login, your fingerprint or facial recognition can be used to ID you. If you use a desktop computer, they will usually send a numeric code to your phone that you use during the login process. In either case you gave the bank your mobile phone number, so they have at least some assurance that it is you. You also enter your password that matches what the bank has on file. This is how Two-Factor Authentication works, two types of identification.

As I stated earlier, web sites and companies are working to make this login process easier and more secure. This is a hard job as easier and more secure don't always work together.

George Uliano is a security professional with years of law enforcement and security experience. He earned a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice and Business graduating with honors. George holds three U.S. patents on different locking principles. This combination gives George and His Company Locking Systems International Inc the unique ability to provide its customers with the correct security at an affordable price.

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How to Edit a PDF Online

If you send certain PDF files over the internet, this guide will make your life significantly easier.

A PDF file which is short for portable document format, is a specific type of digital file that allows you to send certain content that is readable by other users regardless of what software they use to view that type of file. In order for PDFs to adapt to various viewing systems, the file's text and images can't easily be modified once packaged into the format of a PDF. However it's not impossible for this to be done.

No matter if you use a Mac or Windows device as your primary, there are tools available to you for editing the text and graphics within a document that has already been converted into a PDF. You can even do this type of change online, as well as convert PDFs back into Microsoft Word documents to edit your content in its originally designed format.

It can be clearly seen that you need to install the program, Adobe Acrobat. First check that it's compatible with both Mac and Windows computers you are using. Not every version of Adobe Acrobat allows you to edit existing text files once you open your document in this program.

The Adobe Acrobat software categorizes itself under Acrobat Standard and Acrobat Pro. The company which offers the following three editions in both product lines: Acrobat X, Acrobat XI, and Acrobat DC.

These editions below allow for some basic text and content editing, as well as the ability to export your document into Microsoft Word:

Acrobat XI Standard
Acrobat Standard DC
Acrobat XI Pro
Acrobat Pro DC
Acrobat Pro DC and Acrobat Standard DC offer a host of other editing capabilities that Acrobat XI does not offer -- such as automatic spell-check, advanced photo editing, and editing from an iPad.

Acrobat is one of the most popular ways to edit PDF files online, yet it's not the only method. There are other way to manually alter a file using free software that you can download. You don't necessarily have to go out and purchase the most expensive Adobe software that is available.

Most other PDF editing websites equip you with just a manual content eraser and new text/image boxes you can drag and drop anywhere on the page.

Here are a few other online editing tools:

FormSwift: Add new content and even an e-signature.
PDFescape: Add new content and start a new PDF from scratch.
Smallpdf: Add new content, as well as save PDFs to platforms like Google Drive, Dropbox, and even Microsoft Word (more on this feature in a minute).
The tool that suits your PDF will depend on what specifically you're looking to edit and the file size of your document. For example, because Sejda can't accept PDFs larger than 50 megabytes (MB), check the size of your document and identify an editing tool that is compatible with your PDF.

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Python Language: Why One Should Learn It and How It Can Help

Many programming languages are used today, some are used, and some have gone obsolete. In the last few years, the programming scenario has changed drastically as developers and programmers are searching for more universal and approachable languages. This is the reason why Python language has become so famous recently. The Python community is growing bigger day by day as many programmers are now finding it to be one of the most user-friendly programming languages.

Python language has become so famous that every field and sector is now a user of it. Even though the other programming languages are not losing their fans, Python is increasing its fan base. Therefore, more and more people are now aspiring to learn Python. Some of the reasons why having a certification in Python can be helpful are discussed below:

Machine learning

Today, almost everything runs through algorithms, whether it is a search engine, social media, chat bots, virtual personal assistants, etc. These sophisticated algorithms are the result of machine learning and it has changed the entire technological scenario. With machine learning, the major programming language that is been used is Python, and one can find many libraries dedicated to machine learning only.

Big data

Python is used in data science the most and the professionals in this field are required to have expertise in this programming language. Though there are many other languages like Java, R, etc. which is used for data science, Python remains the favorite. This is because of the diversity it allows in automation technology, along with with the various framework and library available like NumPy, PyBrain, etc.

Web development

There are many websites these days like Reddit which are developed using Python language. The main reason why the Python programming language is used in web development is its speed and effectiveness. Using PHP developing a website can take hours, while using Python will take only a few minutes. Also, there are frameworks and libraries like Django and Flask which make the work much easier.

Community

One of the areas that programmers search for these days is the communities. In these communities, the developers and programmers can connect with others from any part of the world and can share their experiences and technologies. This helps them in learning new things about Python and how to solve various issues that may arise while coding.

Libraries

Libraries are really helpful when it comes to application and website development. One can find any kind of code. Python has a huge number of frameworks and libraries like Flask, Django, NumPy, Scipy, Pandas, Tensorflow, Keras, etc. One needs to concentrate on the logic and objective and the codes are easily available in the libraries.

Simple

Lastly, the biggest reason why programmers use Python is the fact that it is a simple programming language. It is a beginner user-friendly language as it does not require a lot of complex codes and syntaxes which are not understandable. Python has an easy and readable syntax and coding which makes its set-up and usage much easier.

Python is a language that has a lot many applications these days, and that is the reason why one should look out for the best python training institute to learn about more about it. Getting into a Python certification course in Gurgaon means one can have many options with a wide variety of career choices.

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Tips to Computer Maintenance to Keep the Device Functioning

A very few things can make your laptop or computer worse. Things that may take a day can result in frustration of weeks to get things working. This is because the operating systems also take time to recognize changes and there is a need to install the updates. Sometimes, disconnecting is really bad that there may be a need to nuke effectively and begin a clean install as fresh.

The common maintenance issues with the computer may be avoided with the maintenance computer tips. It is vital to keep the computer in top condition. There is a need for regular device maintenance and smooth running of node, so that unauthorized intrusions such as viruses may be kept away. Here are the tips to keep your laptop or computer running optimally:

Tips for Computer maintenance software includes:

• Check regularly for updates from manufacturers and ensure proper installation. If you leave them ignored, you computer is available for hacks, especially as it is connected online. Set a monthly or weekly schedule to ascertain operating systems are up-to-date.

• Run reports of network system to identify any data abnormal activity. Automate the system reports so that the backing up process also sends a report daily, telling you a recent file updates.

1. Update IT policies and office as the technologies keep changing and remind the coworkers to follow. Replacing or update of software is best done as a timely manner. Failure to update leaves the PC open to hackers and virus-writers to take advantage. Update the firewall and virus definitions to work with intrusions. Use the online backup tools for recovery and data preservation regularly.

Tips for Computer maintenance for hardware include:

• Give regular cleaning by dusting the keyboards. Keep the dirt and dust away so that the power unit and the fan do not get stuck. Use a compressed air spray for dust cleaning.

• Ensure proper hardware is used. Network slowdown may happen over time on using outdated equipment. Always keep your hardware in a dry, secure area to prevent data loss or damage disasters such as breach or flood.

Keep adequate free disk space. This is because if the disk space is full, the performance is slow or it may freeze, creating user interruptions. Free up space and move to cloud backup account the archived files. Disconnect unauthorized hardware and ensure necessary firewall protects the administration and enjoy unimpeded access to exposed network.

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Five Tools Everyone in the Technological World Should Be Using

There are quite a many digital tools out there available in the digital world. Among these I recommend everyone should be using five digital tools which they cannot escape. What are they? Read on to find out.

Among everyone I mean grandparents, great grandparents, truck driver, waitress, inn keeper and all other laypeople included.

Here goes:

1) Viber: Cell phones should have the free tool installed. Then you can use the cell phone number on any digital device such as laptop, iPAD, TAB and others, provided Viber is also installed on these devices. It is meant for making free phone calls where there is also the option of video chatting.

2) Gmail: You should access this email client via internet on your cell phone and other digital devices. This is a free tool as well. You should sign up for this service and start sending out formal or cordial emails as you wish. Along with Viber, which is actually used for making phone calls, you can use Gmail for sending out emails to people with whom you think you can better communicate by using this tool.

3) Google Search: This is a free tool used widely all over the world. You can look up meanings of words or any information you would like to know by typing keywords on the Google search bar and hitting the enter key of your keyboard. And there you go: you will have information page links coming up.

4) Facebook: This is also a free tool where you get to post, like a post, comment and network with friends. You can also upload photos on albums and access as well as view your friends' photos. Limit access to your Facebook account to friends only for security reasons.

5) LinkedIn: This is also a free tool where you get to upload your CV and other profile information about yourself. You get to network with professional people, chat and discuss issues related to work, projects and other worldly issues. Even if you retire, your professional network stays intact and you still get to keep in touch with professionals.

Summing up, these five free digital tools are what you should retain for keeping in touch with friends, acquaintances and professionals and grow your networks to a large extent gradually and feel further inspired and empowered.

However, please keep their usage to a balanced level. Because you need to work, laugh, play, cook and hang around in mother nature. So keep using the digital tools at a balanced level and you will have managed everything up to the mark.

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Replacement Ultra Sound Probes

Introduction

An ultra sound machine operates on the basis of sound waves that are higher in frequencies and therefore the human ear cannot be able to pick them, this is usually above 20 kHz. These sound waves are used to give an image of an object or an organ inside the body or can also be used to measure distance. The common use of this technology is in the hospital where it is also known as Sonogram. It is commonly used to scan fetal growth in the uterus, in the diagnostic of various body organs and in surgical procedures as a navigator mechanism.

Parts of an Ultra Sound Machine

The Transducer probe: This is the probe that collects and sends the sound waves during the scanning process.

Transducer pulse controls: This regulates the amplitude, time and frequency of the pulses released from the probes.

CPU: This computes and provides the electrical energy for the whole system and for the probes.

Display: This manifests the image created by the waves after they have been computed in the CPU.

Storage: Stores the images that have been generated.

Printer: it is used to print out the images as displayed.

How an Ultra Sound Scan Works

The transducer probe emits the sound waves and they are echoed back where, the transducer again collects the echoes and they are conveyed to the CPU for computerization. The mechanism of how the transducer probe works is by piezoelectric effects principle, where the sound waves are generated by way of applying electrical current on piezoelectric crystals. These crystals undergo a sudden change in shape and resonate thus producing sound waves that are emitted outwardly, consequently the echoes sound waves hit the crystals producing yet another bout of electrical current.


The transducer probes vary in sizes and shape based on where they are being used, for example, there are those that are used on the external skin surfaces, those used in the internal sonography and those used in endoscopic scanning. This is determined majorly by the size of sound waves frequency required and the image resolution.

Conclusion

The transducer probe has therefore been seen to be an essential part of the Ultra sound machine, this, therefore, means maintenance and frequent replacement is required to ensure proper functioning of the machine. With the popularity of this scan being the safest of all the scanning procedure, the proper diagnosis would only be realized if the machine is working correctly.

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Computer Knowledge (Literacy)

Advancement in ICT (Information Communication Technology, has made the world to be viewed as a global village. Regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through a global network of communication, transportation, and trade), the Computers playing a major role, in this integration.
This integration of regions or nations of the world through this global network has made the world to be like a big village, where various nations are like clans in this big village, while the Presidents of the various nations are like heads of clans in this big village.

Therefore as it is any thing that affects one clan affects the other in this big village. This is what is actually happening in our world of today. A crisis in the Niger Delta of Nigeria affects the international price of crude oil, travels, etc.

This joining together of countries in the world economically, through education, society and politics, and citizens viewing themselves not only through their national identity but also as part of the world as a whole is what is Globalization.

Globalization is a process of interaction and integration among the people, companies, and governments of different nations, a process driven by a combination of economic, socio-culture, politics, international trade and investment and aided by ICT (Information Communication Technology), in which the Internet pays a major role, through the network of Computers cut across the globe or world

Globalization, has effects on the environment, on culture, on political systems, on economic development and prosperity, and on human physical well-being in societies around the world.

Also Read: Future Of UX

In our world today, there are few places a person can't get to via telephone or the Internet. Because of modern modes of communication, citizens of a nation are more conscious of the world at large and may be influenced by other cultures in a variety of ways.

Time and space matter less, and even language barriers are being overcome as people all over the world communicate through trade, social Internet forums, various media sources, and a variety of other ways.

As a result of globalization, the world is viewed as one Big Town or Village called a Global Village. And members of the Global Village are called Global Community. One major medium which has brought people of all nations closer together is the Internet. Internet is the networks of Computers all over the globe, which enable people of the world (Global Community), communicate with each other. Internet is one part of ICT.

ICT has been the major driver of globalization. Advances in Information Technology, in particular, have dramatically transformed economic life. Information Technologies have given all sorts of individual economic actors-consumers, investors, businesses-valuable new tools for identifying and pursuing economic opportunities, including faster and more informed analyses of economic trends around the world, easy transfers of assets, and collaboration with distant partners.

As you are reading this article now, minds are communicating all over the world through the Internet, to achieve their desires. Buying and Selling, School Admission and Registration, Airline Travel Booking, Research of any kind, Banking, Emails, looking for Employment, Information, etc, are all going on through the Internet.

Being Part of the Global Community

From the understanding above, no one in this present world, can succeed if he is she is not a member of the global community. To be a member of the global community, you must:

1. Be Computer Literate

2. Learn how to use the Internet

3. Own a Personal Computer (Desktop or Laptop)

Computer Literacy

Computer literacy is defined as the knowledge and ability to use Computers and technology efficiently. Another valuable component of Computer literacy is knowing how Computers work and operate. This later component is for advanced users or operators who may want to be Computer engineers. Knowing and having the ability to use Computers is mile stone into the global community.

Why Is Computer Literacy Necessary?

There are a lot of things you will need the Computer for directly or indirectly in this present age of ours. Either you use it directly or someone is using it on your behalf. Some reasons why you have to be Computer literate are as listed below:

1. When looking for job, your employers require that you be Computer literate, as Computer could be a basic tool you will have to use.

2. In most places of business, Computer is standard. For example, in the banks Computers are used for banking transactions and to look up customer's account information. In some auto repair shop Computers are used to assess electronic and other faults in cars.

3. In schools Computers are used for student's registration and admission, accounting, exams and records. School libraries are database of books. No more use of library cards.

4. In some Hospitals and Clinics patient information are stored in Computers. Doctors must know how to retrieve such information to treat a patient.

5. To send or receive electronic mails you need to learn how to use the Computer and the Internet or you pay someone to do it for you.

This list is endless. It is in your best interests to start learning to use the personal Computer now. It will help you get a job and it will help you advance in your career.

Computer literacy does not mean you need to know how use every single piece of software you may encounter. It does not mean you need to know how to write programs or network Computers. You just need to know some basics:

1. How to Start the Computer

2. How to use the OS (Operating System) running in your Computer, Windows, Mac or Linux.

3. How to open Application Software such as Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Create, Save and Open Files.

4. How to Exit or Close an Application Software and open another.

5. How to properly shutdown the Computer after usage.

6. How to use the Internet to Browse the Internet, send and receive email.

7. How to listen to Music and play Video in your Computer.

8. How to handle your PC (Personal Computer).

When you learn how to use the computer, you will have some sort spot for it in your mind, when you come to appreciate how easy it is to use the computer and how useful it is. Then the fear that it is impossible or difficult to learn how to use the computer would have been a thing of the past.

I remember when I was teaching a very good friend of mine how to use the Microsoft Word and the Mouse. It did not come so easy. But because she had made up her mind to learn, it did not take time for her to start using the tools. One day I went to her office to see her, just to find out that the typewriter she so much loved was under the table. Then I ask her how is the mouse doing? And she smiled. Her masters programme was on Computer Networking. This is the joy of learning how to use the PC.

How do you Become Computer Literate?

To become Computer Literate, you have to attend a Computer Training School. There are all over the place. In such schools, Basic Computer courses are offered. They are usually reasonably priced, and you can workout time to learn them. There are free online courses in the Internet, if you don want to attend any school. You can learn from a cyber café, but some body must have to teach you. Some Cyber Café offer computer courses. Two free computer courses online sites are:

http://www.gcflearnfree.org

At this point in time you don't have to own a Computer, except you want to practice at home. After finishing your course, you would have made up your mind as to what type of Personal Computer you want (Desktop or Laptop).

Learn How to Use the Internet

To be a member of the global community, you must know how to use the internet. If you can imagine the information you can find virtually from any facet of life in the Internet, you will appreciate what humans are doing to make life and the world an easy place to live in. You must learn and know how to use the Internet to be relevant in this 21st Century. There is no age barrier to becoming a computer literate. Interest is the watch word. It is good to learn from a Computer Training School, how to use the Internet. When you have grabbed the basics, then you can visit these free sites, like this shown below:

http://www.learnthenet.com

Own a Personal Computer (Desktop or Laptop)

After you have learnt how to use the computer and Internet, it is time to own your computer, if you have not already bought on. Your decision to own a PC depends on what you want to do with it. That will inform your decision to own a desktop or laptop computer. Be part of the global or digital world.

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Is Artificial Intelligence Directing Our Fate?

"I visualize a time when we will be to robots what dogs are to humans, and I'm rooting for the machines." -Claude Shannon
"The Father of Information Theory" signaled the power of Artificial Intelligence decades ago and we are witnessing it now. We are not aware but most of our everyday tasks are influenced by Artificial Intelligence like credit card transactions, using GPS in our vehicles, personal assistance by various apps in our smartphones or online customer support by chatbots, and who can ignore the smart cars of Google which are very close to reality. But, are we sure that in future, the developments in Artificial Intelligence will not be the biggest danger to us.

Today, this complex programming which is Weak AI is replicating the intelligence of human beings and is outperforming humans in specific tasks. In future, with the evolution of Strong AI, nearly every task of humans will be outperformed by Artificial Intelligence. The work and job which define our identity and lifestyle will be passed to robots. There is no doubt that AI has the potentiality to be more intelligent than us but we can't predict how it will behave in the coming time.

At present, nobody in this world knows whether Strong Artificial Intelligence will be beneficial or harmful to mankind. There is one group of experts who believe that Strong AI or Superintelligence will help us in eradicating war, diseases and poverty. On the other hand, some experts believe that it can be criminally used to develop autonomous weapons for killing humans. They are also concerned about AI which on its own may develop some destructive methods to achieve the goals.

Some people suggest that Artificial Intelligence can be managed like Nuclear weapons, but this comparison in itself is not wise. Nuclear weapons require rarely found raw materials like uranium and plutonium, whereas AI is basically a software. When the computers will be powerful enough, anybody knowing the procedure to write the relevant code could create Artificial Intelligence anywhere.

The most prominent persons from the tech world such as Bill Gates, Elon Musk and the great scientist Stephen Hawkins have already expressed concerns about the future transformation of Artificial Intelligence. They are not wrong in considering AI as the biggest existential threat because we are already dependent on smart systems and in future, this dependency will only increase.

What we could confront in the time ahead might be our own evolution. We control the globe because we are the smartest. When we won't be the smartest, could we retain the control? One solution visible today is to research and be prepared for any potential negative future outcomes. This will help us to avoid any pitfalls and enjoy the benefits of AI.

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Digital Electronics & Its Advantages And Disadvantages

Digital electronics are those systems that use a digital signal instead of an analog signal. Digital Electronic circuits are those which operate with digital signals. These are discrete signals which are sampled from the analog signal. Digital circuits use the binary notation for transmission of the signal. A digital circuit is constructed from small electronic circuits called logic gates which are used in creation of combination logic. Each logic gate is built to perform a function of Boolean logic when acting on logic signals.
Why computer Engineers need to know about Digital System Electronics

Computer science and engineering has several fields of electrical engineering and it required to form computer hardware and software. Computer engineers have training in electronic engineering, software design, and hardware-software integration instead of only software engineering or electronic engineering. Right from the design of individual micro-controllers, microprocessors, personal computers, and supercomputers, to circuit design computer engineers participate in many hardware and software factors of computing.

The Digital electronics uses VLSI technology, which has greatly decreased the size and area of the circuit boards and has enhanced the accuracy and performance of the systems. Mostly, digital systems have the advantage of data encryption for the communication purposes. The data transmission is safe and secure. All these factors clearly show that the digital electronic stream has wide future scope in the modern era.

Advantages Of Digital Electronics

Digital Electronic circuits are relatively easy to design.

It has higher precision rate in terms of accuracy.

Transmitted signals are not lost over long distance.

Digital Signals can be stored easily.

Digital Electronics is more immune to 'error' and 'noise' than analog. But in case of high-speed designs, a small noise can induce error in the signal.

The voltage at any point in a Digital Circuit can be either high or low; hence there is less chance of confusion.

Digital Circuits have the flexibility that can change the functionality of digital circuits by making changes in software instead of changing actual circuit.

Disadvantages of Digital Electronics

The real world is analog in nature, all quantities such as light, temperature, sound etc. Digital Systems is required to translate a continuous signal to discrete which leads to small quantization errors. To reduce quantization errors a large amount of data needs to be stored in Digital Circuit.

Digital Circuits operate only with digital signals hence, encoders and decoders are required for the process. This increases the cost of equipment.

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