BMW just revealed a self-correcting motorcycle you can ride without a helmet

BMW has developed a motorcycle which can correct a rider’s mistakes, compensating for incorrect movements. The claim from BMW which caused controversy, was that the rider didn’t need a helmet to ride this bike, as it would protect them from falling. However, this claim has been made without taking into account road debris such as rocks and dirt. Also insects can hit the rider’s eye at great velocity, possibly impairing vision. I believe that BMW’s mistake here was the way this technology has been marketed. If it had not been marketed as a replacement for a helmet, it would have not created such dispute. This technology is far from being established, since it cannot dodge vehicles and if impact was to occur the rider would still be flung off the motorcycle possibly ending in a fatality. Also removing the element of focus and control involved in riding a motorcycle, places the rider at greater risk of having too much dependence on these electronic aids. Shifting focus away from the road. Also sudden maneuvers performed by the bike in unpredictable weather such as rain or snow, can cause a loss of control for both the rider and the computer system. This type of technology is far from ready to be sold to the public, as it would be priced out of many people’s price range due to high development and production costs.

This type of technology is marketed towards the newer rider who would have previously found riding to be dangerous. This eliminates a large amount of variables which the rider would otherwise have to account for. Riders have to balance themselves on the bike, whilst controlling throttle and braking inputs in order to prevent speed wobbles and slides. This computer system removes the need for precise control of these inputs to allow of a presumably safer riding experience. Other road users can also benefit from this technology since it can slow the bike down incase someone turns into the lane ahead. Governments will be highly selective of this type of technology, considering the large amounts of mishaps occurring with autonomous cars. Placing many restrictive legislations which place a great barrier to entry for the manufacturers of this technology. Slowing down the development, at the cost of ensuring predictable road safety standards.

The IT systems used in this particular motorcycle are sensors such as accelerometers to measure speed, acceleration and the generated G forces, proximity sensors to sense incoming hazards such as pedestrians and other road users, cameras to utilize lane keeping technology, tire pressure monitoring systems to predict the amount of traction available at the wheels and gyroscopes to keep the motorcycle balanced on the road. All of these systems are controlled by a micro processor which receives the data input from the sensors to later output commands accordingly.

AI helping the visually impaired identify objects.

An app called Aipoly uses a smartphones camera to survey the users surroundings and match up the captured object with objects stored in a large database of items, with things like soda brands, streetsigns, store logos, etc... Once the object is recognised by the app, an auditory signal is given to the user, allowing them to identify the object.

INCOMPLETE

Will be updated soon.

GITEX - UAVs & Drones

This week is GITEX Technology Week , a time where thousands of developers come together to display the latest and greatest in Technological innovation. In this post I will specifically talk about Unmanned Arial Vehicles and their uses in the global society , I will also be going through the social and ethical issues which may arise from the use of drones and their over all advantages and disadvantages .

Drones are can be flown in different locations and can be piloted from great distances . These capabilities are very useful in situations where the examination of an area where humans cant get to , for example to inspect remote parts of an oil rig, or in search and rescue scenarios. a drone is capable of speeding up search and rescue which can potentially be life saving . Drones now have more payload capacity than ever before , so they can support the weight of a human and the increased thrust can even lift humans off the ground and take them to safety . Drones have evolved from  being only able to carry small action camera to being able to carry military hardware over great distances. Missions can be completely controlled remotely from the ground in a safe location out of the danger . the birds-eye view gives researchers and rescue teams a better vantage point over any location . Many accessories can be attached to these incredible devices such as scientific measuring apparatus which can measure anything from any location on earth.

Some examples of this type of drone usage we saw at GITEX was in the government section where they were used by the Dubai Electricity & Water Authority for the inspection of inaccessible areas in their electricity generating plants and in their water treatment plants , this has been a great help to them as stated by DEWA Managing Director Saeed Mohammed Ahmed Al Tayer "These small flying tools have marked a breakthrough in our workflow and has revolutionized the way we work and have given us a deeper look into our own field". Dubai Police also showcased their use of the drone in locating criminals and in intense chases , the drone can track the position of the suspect and it can even follow the suspect , this puts the police out of harms way and also keeps the streets free of high-speed car chases and things of that nature.Both Dubai Police and DEWA used the DJI Inspire 1  which is a pro consumer drone which anyone with the money can buy , it is sold for a relatively cheap price considering the technology being offered, the DJI Inspire 1 uses lightbridge 2.0 which is DJIs own high definition video feed, these HD transmitters have the ability to stream full high definition real time footage straight to your mobile device (1080p @ 30fps , 720p @ 59fps) this is an amazing step up from previous drones which transmit 480p or lower at very low frame rates. not only does it provide a live video feed , but it can also track things like speed ,altitude, temperature,GPS  and much much more.

The camera on these new drones are gyroscopic ally stabilized in 3 axis which allows for smooth footage even in the worst of wind conditions , this helps the police to get smooth footage so when they play it back for evidence the footage is usable and not shaky or blurry, DEWA can benefit from this too because the smooth video can allow them to look at the details and the smaller components of their power-plants without distortion of the footage .

Overall, GITEX  really showcased how drones have rapidly influenced our world and made what was once not possible now possible , not only to the serious government consumer , but also the recreational users and filmmakers . Having this point of view opens up many new opportunities for innovation and research , however these amazing devices may not be permitted in some places in the world and i personally feel that these communities will definitely benefit greatly from UAVs  and improve their society in a modern and effective way.

Who are Digital Citizens?

A digital citizen everyone who has implemented ICT into their everyday lives , using it to communicate ,socialize and work . Nowadays almost everyone is fortunate enough to become a digital citizen , by owning a smartphone or any similar telecommunications device , also entertainment devices such as televisions and computers make a person into a digital citizen because it is entering the person into the global society which share similar opinions , so we are all subconsciously Digital Citizens .

What is cybermobbing?

Cybermobbing is an example of cyber bullying , which is the act of harassing and humiliating someone electronically , however in cybermobbing it is a group of people who share this malicious mindset with a goal to harm people emotionally using electronic messaging and other types of electronic communication.

When we talk about IT automation of a manual process, then does it gives rise to unemployment?

IT automation has been a large factor in increasing unemployment rates in the 21st century , but this doesn't necessarily mean that IT automation is a negative part of our society, like everything else in this worlds it has its pros and cons and from what has been observed so far the pros outweigh the cons by a large amount , some of these pros are that automation in the industry can increase efficiency , output and lower the production costs , however these automated machines are a replacement to human workers who work to support their families , this example is more beneficial to the company than to the worker, however there are different ways in which automation has affected our everyday lives, one major aspect is autonomous cars , which require almost no driver input for the car to take you from point A to point B , obviously this is very beneficial to the users safety and comfort as the aspect of human error has been taken out , Overall , i think IT automation is a turn for the better and will help our world thrive and develop at a great pace.