A team from the University of Florida has developed a special algorithm that can be described as the world's first Internet lie detector. An online game was then designed in which players were randomly assigned to the role of "saint" or "sinner". The experiment involved 40 people who participated in 80 games. An intelligent algorithm analyzed the entries of people from both groups and distinguished specific words that can decide whether someone is a liar or not.
https://news.fsu.edu/news/science-technology/2019/03/15/no-lie-fsu-researcher-developing-worlds-first-online-polygraph/
Questions:
Is it possible to detect lies on the Internet?
Do you think that there will be an algorithm to search for false messages in online text?
Do you think that social informatics should focus on detecting fake internet content?
Do you think users should be informed that their messages will be scanned by this kind of lagorithm?
Online English Conversation Course for PhD Students
Monday 29 April 2019
Tuesday 23 April 2019
Week 3 [22-28.04.2019] Cloud Computing
Hello everybody.
I found this topic really interested, especially from the
perspective of a newbie in cloud topics.
I’m wondering how many of use work in a cloud on a daily
base.
Link to the article:
In the late 19th century, power plants were invented to
produce large amounts of power in a single unit and transmit to every home.
Now, you no longer need to run your own power generator, you could just flick a
switch.
Cloud computing is doing to computing what power plants did to power production 150 years ago.
Cloud computing is doing to computing what power plants did to power production 150 years ago.
Please read the article, and answer questions
- Do you work in a cloud, or maybe you use it for personal purpose?
- Please explain what is a cloud computing in terms that a non-technical person can understand?
- What’s the main advantage and disadvantage of cloud computing.
- Do you think that internet cloud services are the future of computing?
Week 3 [22-28.04.2019] Cyber crimes
Today I would like to represent to all of You an article connected to the topic of cyber crimes. Here You go:
https://www.hg.org/legal-articles/cyber-crimes-explained-49894
From the article, to which the link is presented above, we can learn about some typical kinds of cyber crimes. We have there:
-> the cyber crime of malware - speaking more directly this group involves different types of malfunctions, which can infect either individual program or the whole system; most common types are viruses, Troian horses, rootkits and worms;
-> the DoS attack - it relates to situations, where the disruption of services appears on the computers connected to the internet; this one can have enormous effect on proper work of entire company;
-> cyberstalking - this type of crime is less connected with the IT itself than other types, because it mainly concerns relationships between the victim and the culprit; stalking is also very common offense in real world and as well may be committed without using any kind of IT, but because of the fact, that almost everyone has some kind of electric device, it can easily transform to cyberstalking;
-> identity theft - this group of crimes includes stealing data given by users or secured by passwords to gain access to protected information, and also stealing the whole identity of another person, mainly because somebody need to disappear from the world he or she lives in.
Later in the article we can read about factors, which have major impact on the conviction and punishment.
Now, when You are done with reading, I prepared some questions for You:
1. Can You name any other examples of cyber crimes, different than the ones mentioned in the article?
2. Do You know what are some ways to prevent from cyber crimes?
3. Have You or one of Your friend been the subject of cyber crimes? If so, what was the crime and how dd the case end?
4. Do You think that because of IT’s development there will be more examples of cyber crimes and the range of such crimes will be bigger?
https://www.hg.org/legal-articles/cyber-crimes-explained-49894
From the article, to which the link is presented above, we can learn about some typical kinds of cyber crimes. We have there:
-> the cyber crime of malware - speaking more directly this group involves different types of malfunctions, which can infect either individual program or the whole system; most common types are viruses, Troian horses, rootkits and worms;
-> the DoS attack - it relates to situations, where the disruption of services appears on the computers connected to the internet; this one can have enormous effect on proper work of entire company;
-> cyberstalking - this type of crime is less connected with the IT itself than other types, because it mainly concerns relationships between the victim and the culprit; stalking is also very common offense in real world and as well may be committed without using any kind of IT, but because of the fact, that almost everyone has some kind of electric device, it can easily transform to cyberstalking;
-> identity theft - this group of crimes includes stealing data given by users or secured by passwords to gain access to protected information, and also stealing the whole identity of another person, mainly because somebody need to disappear from the world he or she lives in.
Later in the article we can read about factors, which have major impact on the conviction and punishment.
Now, when You are done with reading, I prepared some questions for You:
1. Can You name any other examples of cyber crimes, different than the ones mentioned in the article?
2. Do You know what are some ways to prevent from cyber crimes?
3. Have You or one of Your friend been the subject of cyber crimes? If so, what was the crime and how dd the case end?
4. Do You think that because of IT’s development there will be more examples of cyber crimes and the range of such crimes will be bigger?
Week 3 [22-28.04.2019] Blockchain frameworks and applications
Blockchain, or distributed ledger technology, could soon give rise to a new era of the Internet even more disruptive and transformative than the current one. Blockchain's ability to generate unprecedented opportunities to create and trade value in society will lead to a generational shift in the Internet's evolution, from an Internet of Information to a new generation Internet of Value. The key to enabling this transition is the formation of a multistakeholder consensus around how the technology functions, its current and potential applications and how to create the regulatory, cultural and organizational conditions for it to succeed.
Please read article and anwer questions:
https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1903/1903.12553.pdf
1. Do you know another possible applications of blockchain technology?
2. Where blockchain should not be applied?
3. Which blockchain is best for with application?
Please read article and anwer questions:
https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1903/1903.12553.pdf
1. Do you know another possible applications of blockchain technology?
2. Where blockchain should not be applied?
3. Which blockchain is best for with application?
Monday 22 April 2019
Week 3 [22-28.04.2019] Sodium batteries
Welcome back after Easter! I hope everybody had a great time.
Today I want to point you to this article:
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/04/sodium-batteries-are-one-step-closer-saving-you-mobile-phone-fire
The title resembles cheap click-bait, but it touches upon a topic which is close to our everyday life - electric battery technology.
Questions to discuss:
1. Is there a place for sodium batteries between the cheap lead-acid and the expensive lithium-ion batteries?
2. Is the low voltage of these batteries a plus or a minus? (pun intended)
3. What consequences would it have for technology, if we could produce batteries without rare earth elements?
4. Do you know any other methods of energy storage competing against Li-Ion?
Today I want to point you to this article:
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/04/sodium-batteries-are-one-step-closer-saving-you-mobile-phone-fire
The title resembles cheap click-bait, but it touches upon a topic which is close to our everyday life - electric battery technology.
Questions to discuss:
1. Is there a place for sodium batteries between the cheap lead-acid and the expensive lithium-ion batteries?
2. Is the low voltage of these batteries a plus or a minus? (pun intended)
3. What consequences would it have for technology, if we could produce batteries without rare earth elements?
4. Do you know any other methods of energy storage competing against Li-Ion?
Monday 8 April 2019
Week 2 [08-14.04.2019] 5G
We are ready for 5G! What does this mean for us? Will the IT industry change so much when the 5G is launched? What do you think about 5G?
I have read the article https://venturebeat.com/2019/03/31/the-convergence-of-5g-and-ai-a-venture-capitalists-view/ and in connection with it a few questions:
1. Autonomous vehicles do you think it will work?
2. Autonomous cities, we know that they were created, there will be more of them?
3. Will 5G allow new suppliers just like AT & T or Verzion?
4. How do you think about how much the profits of suppliers may increase in relation to the launch of 5G?
I have read the article https://venturebeat.com/2019/03/31/the-convergence-of-5g-and-ai-a-venture-capitalists-view/ and in connection with it a few questions:
1. Autonomous vehicles do you think it will work?
2. Autonomous cities, we know that they were created, there will be more of them?
3. Will 5G allow new suppliers just like AT & T or Verzion?
4. How do you think about how much the profits of suppliers may increase in relation to the launch of 5G?
Week 2 [08-14.04.2019] Optimization of smart homes
Hello everyone,
I would like to present you an article about smart
homes:
Smart home technology uses devices connected to the
Internet of things (IoT) to automate and monitor in-home systems. This
technology allows users to control and monitor their connected home devices
from smart home apps, smartphones, or other network devices. Users can remotely
control connected home systems whether they are home or away. It allows for
more efficient energy and electric usage as well as ensuring that home is
secure.
Presented paper introduces an approach that considerably
lowers the wireless sensor node power consumption, the amount of transmitted
sensor events on location and thereby saves the costly wireless transportation
of these events which in turn reduces the interference level.
The usage of complex smart object nodes with embedded
Artificial Intelligence allowed to achieve the intended goals. It is surprising
that the overall sensor node power consumption has been reduced by 99 percent.
Questions are:
- Do you have a smart home? Does a smart home affect the privacy of people living in it?
- Do you agree that such topics as saving network load or reducing the interference level are important nowadays? Why?
- What do you think about the effectiveness of the results in presented article? Has the optimization of the assumed elements been really done or only the existing solution has been complicated?
Friday 5 April 2019
Week 1 [1-7.04.19], Graph databases
Dear all :)
I want to show you article which compare relational database systems and graph databases.
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/322a/6e1f464330751dea2eb6beecac24466322ad.pdf
1. Do you think that in the future the relational database systems will disapeer?
2. Do you see other features besides speed and scalability that classify the graph databases as better than the relational approach?
3. Do you use graph databases in your work? For what purpose?
4. List (at least) 2 uses of graph databases in which the relational database wouldn't be suitable.
I'm waiting for your comments ;)
Have a nice day!
I want to show you article which compare relational database systems and graph databases.
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/322a/6e1f464330751dea2eb6beecac24466322ad.pdf
1. Do you think that in the future the relational database systems will disapeer?
2. Do you see other features besides speed and scalability that classify the graph databases as better than the relational approach?
3. Do you use graph databases in your work? For what purpose?
4. List (at least) 2 uses of graph databases in which the relational database wouldn't be suitable.
I'm waiting for your comments ;)
Have a nice day!
Monday 1 April 2019
Week 1 [01-07.04.2019] 10 Breakthrough Technologies 2018
Read the article at https://www.technologyreview.com/lists/technologies/2018/
and comment on it/discuss it.
and comment on it/discuss it.
Week 1 [01-07.04.2019] Financial Technology - the new era in banking
Dear all,
I would like to introduce to you to very interesting topic - financial
technologies called FinTechs. The financial technology (fintech) industry is
thriving globally and received $17.4 billion in investment last year
alone.
Few examples:
- Probably You have heard
about the Revolut card so far. This is one of the most popular examples of
FinTechs. Digital banking alternatives, multicurrency cards, travel
insurance, cryptocurrency market, money exchange, concierge and much more
in one place.
- SoFi - the company provides
refinancing of student loans, mortgages and personal loans. Credit
mortgages of the company ignore the assessment of creditworthiness.
- Robinood is an application
for smartphones that allows you to invest in listed companies and stock
exchange funds listed on the American stock exchanges without paying
commissions.
- Because of the difficulty in
obtaining bank loans, Kabbage decided to grant loans to small businesses
and consumers via an automated loan platform.
- Commonbond - Getting cheap student loans is a real problem. Commonbond decided to change it. This is a lender on the market, which reduces the cost of student loans for borrowers by financing them with bonds. Thanks to this, the repayment of liabilities can be postponed in time, while reducing the costs of these loans. According to Commonbond calculations, students can save over USD 14,000 compared to traditional student loans.
These are just a few examples of FinTechs, whose common feature is to offer
everything that we cannot get or settle in traditional banks. For traditional
banks modern client is a huge challenge. They invested enormous financial
resources in IT systems, which were often obsolete at the time of installation.
At best, they created a substitute for FinTech, or solutions based on the
so-called e-banking. However, this is only a supplement to the offer, not the
essence of the activity. Only institutions that have built their business
around modern technology are able to function on this dynamic market.
In Silicon Valley, work is underway on algorithms that provide credit based on
our search engine queries. We will be informed that it is available
immediately, on certain financing principles. The decision on the loan will
take place at the algorithm level: the search engine asks our bank, the bank
will automatically check the creditworthiness and send an offer. Customers
received what they were looking for: better prices, not only lower, but more
reliable and risk-free.
QUESTIONS TO ANSWER:
- Will the traditional stationary branches of banks exist in a few years or people completely give up and use FinTechs equivalents?
- Is there still room for new methods with such a wide range of alternative payment methods?
- If today FinTechs already offers a much lower interest rate on loans, lower spread on exchange of currencies, lack of fees for an account or multi-currency cards, how in the near future they will compete with each other?
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