Evolving Discipline » Dissertation

DISSERTATION: DOWNLOAD

Luke Chambers — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 14:59:10 +0000

Finally got my dissertation finished and it is now available online. To download a copy please click here.

DISSERTATION: NEARLY DONE

Luke Chambers — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:59:02 +0000

After handing in a draft and having some feedback on it from Joasia I’ve been working to get it all finished over the weekend. I’m hopefully finished now but my plan is to let people read over it and tweak it if necessary. Then its binding time, staples here I come!

DISSERTATION: FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES?

Luke Chambers — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 13:02:28 +0000

I’ve come across a few interesting articles in the past week detailing (very near) future technologies and applications for GPS and RFID tags.

The first article involves a trial program involving 10 secondary school students in the UK who are being tracked with RFID tags embedded into their school uniforms. From Yahoo Tech:

Add the RFID chips to increased video surveillance and fingerprinting of kids, and this is a heavily tracked generation—for safety’s sake.

That extra peace of mind for adults comes with a heavy loss of privacy for kids. Do you agree with David Clouter, a parent and founder of the children’s advocacy group Leave Them Kids Alone, who says taking all these precautions has the effect of treating kids like criminals? Or do you agree with the parents who have OKed the pilot program who do not find it egregiously intrusive?

One possible side effect: Uniform sales may pick up as kids try to procure extra non-RFID-tagged clothing. As security expert Bruce Schneier writes on his blog: “So now it’s easy to cut class; just ask someone to carry your shirt around the building while you’re elsewhere.”

Obviously a lot of debate surrounds this subject. I can see this being a very good thing from a parents perspective as well as the schools but surely this is another invasion of privacy. What also gets to me is the whole “how safe is my child” thing. I mean fair enough there some nasty people out there but was this any different 10 years ago when I was a kid? I doubt it was any different but I’m sure there was far more important thing to be reported in the news at the time.

Great idea but I think its going a little far. Can I see this taking off? I don’t think so. Like the quote says “just ask someone to carry your shirt around the building” to get around the technology. The only way I can see that working properly is if they physically implant the chips. Extreme but who’s going to cut open their arm to dig it out? Ok, don’t answer that…

The second article talks about Apple customising Macbooks to supply to local school districts in Kansas City and southwest Louisiana. Whats so interesting about that? Well, they’re customising them to meet various security measures in place by the districts. From tuaw.com:

The Kansas City Star notes that each of the computers has a sticker “clearly identifying them as the property of the Kansas City, Kan., public schools… [which] will not come off without virtually destroying the laptop.” Furthermore, each computer will apparently have a GPS tracker and even “a remote device to destroy the hard drive” if stolen.

Interesting stuff really. GPS trackers have been used for years now in cars so why not in computers? I do like the sound of the remote device destroying your hard drive as well, don’t want a thief getting their hands on your sensitive data now do you? That next big question is whether or not this sort of technology will make it onto the commercial market and whether people really want it. For everyday use I can’t honestly say whether I would invest in a tracker, I mean if I take my Macbook out with me anywhere it doesn’t leave my sight. Another area worth discussing.

DISSERTATION: KODAK TO ADD GPS TO CAMERA RANGE

Luke Chambers — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 17:50:39 +0000

I came across this article whilst researching my dissertation. Kodak have said that they will be adding GPS in its camera range by 2009 and that got me thinking.As from the article;

According to Kodak, the GPS information will be added to the meta-data of the photo allowing you to search for images shot in a specific country or location such as shots taken in Chelsea.

If this is an up and coming ‘locative technology’ how might it affect society? I can only see this developing even further with features to add tags, keywords and descriptions and all at the touch of a button. Maybe it will have a feature to Geo-Tag the photos on the fly, uploading to flickr in the process. You can also bet that a very short time after this type of ‘locative technology’ will find its way into mobile phones making super ‘locative mobile’ devices.

Who knows though? I can only speculate. This will make an interesting discussion in my dissertation if nothing else.

DISSERTATION PROPOSAL

Luke Chambers — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 20:16:52 +0000

After spending more time in the library than I ever have before looking for books and references I’ve finally come up with what I’m going to be writing about for my dissertation:

How are ‘locative technologies’ affecting and shaping society both in the real and virtual world?

Obviously this is a working title and I’m sure it will change very quickly into something that is a bit more focused but I shall see. In a way I’m really looking forward to getting on with it as it should inform my final year project very well but in another I know its going to be very hard work! Better get on and read these books…

DISSERTATION

Luke Chambers — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 18:36:06 +0000

Whilst I’m on the subject of mapping I think it makes sense to base my dissertation around this subject as well. Not only could this involve GPS but could stretch out as far as user generated maps, like the annoying ones you get on Facebook as well as mapping photos, thoughts and video onto Google maps. These are just a few things I’ve taken off the top of my head which need careful exploration.