Communications
Communication deals with transportation of
information. With the use machines in the industrial age we were able to use
machines to transport information. From what would take a week on horse-drawn
carriages, the same trip could be done one day with the railroad system. In a
sense, we expanded traveling distances but allowed information to be delivered
in a much shorter span of time.
information. With the use machines in the industrial age we were able to use
machines to transport information. From what would take a week on horse-drawn
carriages, the same trip could be done one day with the railroad system. In a
sense, we expanded traveling distances but allowed information to be delivered
in a much shorter span of time.
Vennevar Bush author of “As We May Think,” outlines the first theoretical personal computer
called the “MEMEX.” He developed the differential
analyzer which was run by Claude Shannon in 1936. In this analog computer
information, or data, was referred to as a “bit.” Like a personal computer
today, it was only capable of binary commands such as True/False Statements.
Claude Shannon was also a cryptographer for the Allies in WWII. In this field
he studied data that was decontextualized so if secrets were to fall into the
hands of the Axis powers the information remained enigmatic. WWII not only
changed political borders of Europe, Asia, The Middle East and Africa, but also
the distribution and study of information.
communication and control. Norbert Weiner, a colleague of Claude Shannon,
worked at MIT building an automated anti-aircraft for the defense department.
This was created using feedback loops where the output would go back into the
input thus working autonomously without hierarchy. There are two types of
feedback:
Positive feedback: would cause the weapon to fire.
Negative Feedback: would regulate the system.
This is an essential aspect to cybernetics
because the idea of feedback loops of information was applied to all aspects of
life after the Macy conferences began in 1944. This is how information lost its
body.
because the idea of feedback loops of information was applied to all aspects of
life after the Macy conferences began in 1944. This is how information lost its
body.
In 1948, Claude Shannon presented his theory of
information in conjunction with Warren Weaver in a simplified model known as
the Shannon/Weaver Model of Communication.
It conceptualizes communication in a linear fashion however, even though today
within distributed networks, input can come from any and all directions. It
begins as follows:
information in conjunction with Warren Weaver in a simplified model known as
the Shannon/Weaver Model of Communication.
It conceptualizes communication in a linear fashion however, even though today
within distributed networks, input can come from any and all directions. It
begins as follows:
information
source-transmitter-signal-reciever-destination
source-transmitter-signal-reciever-destination
Alan Turing is another important figure in
communication and cybernetics that I can’t fail to mention. He formalized the
concepts of algorithms with the Turing Machine and was also a cryptographer
during the Second World War. He was intrigued by artificial intelligence. He
created the Turing Test or the “imitation game” which tests the intelligence of
machines. The only way a machine could pass the Turing Test is if it is
indistinguishable from a human conversation with greater than a 30% approval
rating. The first AI to pass the Turing Test ever was
June 7, 2014 by a 13 year-old named Eugene Goostman. He is a supercomputer
designed at Princeton University. The communication between the user and Eugene
is astonishingly accurate. Even though it seems like there is another user on
the other side, it is actually a system of cybernetic feedback loops and
algorithms constantly driving output as new input. Go ahead and ask him yourself!
communication and cybernetics that I can’t fail to mention. He formalized the
concepts of algorithms with the Turing Machine and was also a cryptographer
during the Second World War. He was intrigued by artificial intelligence. He
created the Turing Test or the “imitation game” which tests the intelligence of
machines. The only way a machine could pass the Turing Test is if it is
indistinguishable from a human conversation with greater than a 30% approval
rating. The first AI to pass the Turing Test ever was
June 7, 2014 by a 13 year-old named Eugene Goostman. He is a supercomputer
designed at Princeton University. The communication between the user and Eugene
is astonishingly accurate. Even though it seems like there is another user on
the other side, it is actually a system of cybernetic feedback loops and
algorithms constantly driving output as new input. Go ahead and ask him yourself!
Cybernetics transcends technology into aspects of life that reflect autonomous systems:
Ecology, cognitive science, human interaction and even traffic congestion of
urbanized society. With communication also comes the control of communications as
well as systems of capitalism and e-commerce.
Ecology, cognitive science, human interaction and even traffic congestion of
urbanized society. With communication also comes the control of communications as
well as systems of capitalism and e-commerce.
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