Wildlife in the Digital Anthropocene: Examining human-animal relations through surveillance technologies

Digital surveillance technologies enable a range of publics to observe the private lives of wild animals. Publics can now encounter wildlife from their smartphones, home computers, and other digital devices. These technologies generate public-wildlife relations that produce digital intimacy, but also summon wildlife into relations of care, commodification, and control. Via three case studies, this paper examines the biopolitical implications of such technologically mediated human-animal relations, which are becoming increasingly common and complex in the Digital Anthropocene. Each of our case studies involves a different biopolitical rationale deployed by a scientific-managerial regime: (1) clampdown (wild boar); (2) care (golden eagle); and (3) control (moose). Each of these modalities of biopower, however, is entangled with the other, inaugurating complex relations between publics, scientists, and wildlife. We show how digital technologies can predetermine certain representations of wildlife by encouraging particular gazes, which can have negative repercussions for public-wildlife relations in both digital and offline spaces. However, there remains work to be done to understand the positive public-wildlife relations inaugurated by digital mediation. Here, departing from much extant literature on digital human-animal relations, we highlight some of these positive potentials, notably: voice, immediacy, and agency.

Food for Thought on Conducting Research Projects on Media Accessibility During the Covid-19 Pandemic and the New Normal

The following practice report is based on observational experiences of a project group running a research project on accessibility during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project aimed to provide accessibility using plain language in children’s programs on a public television channel. The project included three groups of end-users: Deaf, hard of hearing, and visually impaired children. An overview of the project is presented to provide background for the practice report. The second part of the report deals with changes encountered in the running of the project during the pandemic: compensating for the lack of interactivity, social interaction and collective experience; using video conferencing; monitoring research; at-home research spaces and technological availability; network availability and performance; dealing with home computers; communication load; workload and work-life balance. Some key concepts of actor-network theory are used to analyse new actors, networks and shifts encountered in the process of implementing the project in the “new normal” in comparison to its planned implementation pre-COVID-19. In conclusion, a summary of possible options is cited to provide food for thought in running such projects. Lay summary The following practice report is based on the observations of a group running a research project on accessibility for Deaf, Hard of Hearing and blind children to children’s programs during the Covid-19 pandemic. We aimed to provide accessibility using plain language (easy to understand and easy to follow language in subtitles, through sign language and audiodescription) in children’s’ programs on a public television channel. Initially, an overview of the project is presented to provide background, then the changes encountered in the running of the project due to the pandemic are studied. Some of the issues discussed are: How to compensate for the lack of interactivity and social interaction since there was no face-to-face interaction; using video conferencing, monitoring research; at home research spaces and technology availability; issues about network availability and performance; dealing with home computers; communication load, and workload. Some key concepts of the actor-network theory (ANT) are used to explain changes. ANT is concerned with exploring how networks come into existence, looking into which relations exist, how those relations are sustained, how actors come together to constitute and maintain a network and how networks maintain impermanent stability. In conclusion, a summary of possible options is cited to provide food for thought in running such projects.

Effects of the augmented reality game Pokémon GO on fitness and fatness in secondary school students

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of 8 weeks of Pokémon GO on physical fitness (cardiorespiratory fitness [CRF], Speed/Agility [S/A], and muscular strength [MS]) and fatness (body mass index [BMI], percentage of body fat [%BF], and waist-hip index), as well as possible differences between weekly physical activity (PA) levels, in Spanish adolescents between 12 and 15 years of age. Design, setting and method: Comparative design, with a control group ( n = 86) that did not participate in Pokémon GO, and an intervention group ( n = 78) which did so over an 8-week period. Age, sex, number of home computers, and maternal educational level were controlled for as possible confounding variables. Results: Results show that players walked a total of 52 km in 8 weeks. Moreover, they played the game for a mean of 40 min/day. Pokémon GO players showed improvements in CRF and BMI ( p < .05). Inactive young people showed a 22.2% increase in CRF and an 11.3% decrease in their %BF compared to non-players. Despite these results, less than half of the participants considered that Pokémon GO had improved their overall fitness and felt more encouraged to engage in PA. Conclusion: Pokémon GO increased PA and CRF levels and decreased BMI and %BF after 8 weeks of practice independently of age, sex, number of computers at home, and maternal education. The Pokémon GO app could be used in school and family contexts to increase the daily amount of MVPA, improve CRF, and to take advantage of the effects of loss of body fat.

On the readiness of students to distance learning now

Examines the positive and negative sides of distance education in aspects of quality of education and economic efficiency of the distance learning software that are used in the training for the selected training areas/specialties. In the course of the research conducted by the method of questioning students, it was revealed that at the current time, 69.7% of students have none of the programs they need for further direct training of their profession on their home computers. Considering the provision of students with the software they need to study basic subjects, it was found that 24.5% of students have Microsoft Office 2007 or earlier installed on their personal computers (PCs) or laptops, that is, SOFTWARE that is already considered obsolete. Thus, almost every fourth student, when performing practical, laboratory, course work using a software package for working in the office, experiences difficulties. In the course of the research conducted by the method of questioning students, it was revealed that at the current time, 69.7% of students have none of the programs they need for further direct training of their profession on their home computers. Considering the provision of students with the software they need to study basic subjects, it was found that 24.5% of students have Microsoft Office 2007 or earlier installed on their personal computers (PCs) or laptops, that is, SOFTWARE that is already considered obsolete. Thus, almost every fourth student, when performing practical, laboratory, course work using a software package for working in the office, experiences difficulties. Why the computer works even slower and with various failures and failures. Moreover, the specified percentage may also be even higher, since 8.6% of students could not answer what OS they have installed. Studying in the traditional form of training, this lack of hardware and SOFTWARE is eliminated, since in the University’s computer classes, there are PCs that support reliable operation with Windows 10 and Microsoft Office 2010 and are protected from viruses and attacks by installed and constantly updated antivirus programs. The article reveals the problems that affect the quality of students’ education when switching to distance learning. Namely, the absence or non-compliance of Hardware and SOFTWARE for students’ computers and laptops with modern requirements for Hardware and SOFTWARE for performing teachers’ tasks. The author concludes that when switching to full distance education in technical specialties, the state will lose, according to the most optimistic forecasts, from 19.8 to 69.7% of well-prepared students only because their education does not meet modern requirements.

”Another visitor!” – kun puhuvat koneet tulivat kotiin

Artikkeli käsittelee kotitietokoneiden tuottamaa puhetta 8- ja 16-bittisten laitteiden kultakaudella, 1980-luvulla ja 1990-luvun alkupuoliskolla. Tänä ajanjaksona edulliset kotimikrot levisivät nopeasti Suomen koteihin, ja yhä useampi kansalainen päätyi tekemisiin tietokoneen kanssa.Tutkimusaineisto on kerätty kyselytutkimuksella, ja käsittely keskittyy vastaajien ensimmäisiin muistoihin puhuvista koneista sekä näiden kohtaamisten herättämistä tuntemuksista. Muistoissa kuuluvat 1980-luvun kotimikrot, näiden pelit ja kotimikroilun ympärille syntynyt harrastuskulttuuri. Luonnollisena lisänä muisteluissa esiintyvät ajanjakson elokuvat ja tv-sarjat, jotka loivat osaltaan odotuksia koneiden kyvyistä.Vastauksista nousee esiin merkkejä vahvistuneesta konesuhteesta, mutta vallitsevana piirteenä ovat puhuvan koneen luomat positiiviset kokemukset ja tulevaisuususkon vahvistuminen. Nuorten harrastajien tekemät kokeilut olivat usein odottamattomia ja kekseliäitä, mikä kertoo yhtäältä ennakkoluulottomasta suhtautumisesta tekniikkaan ja toisaalta siitä, että mitään vakiintuneita käyttökohteita puhuville kotitietokoneille ei ollut vielä edes olemassa.“Another visitor!” – When talking machines entered homesIn this article we focus on speech produced by 8- and 16-bit home computers during their "golden era", the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s. Over this period budget-friendly home computers spread to Finnish homes, and an increasing number of citizens ended up in contact with computing.Our research material has been collected using an online survey, where we asked about first remembrances about talking machines and the feelings evoked by those encounters. The memories revolve around topics such as home computers of the time, their games and the emerging computer hobby culture. Naturally, movies and TV series of the time period, which created expectations about the capabilities of computers, are also present in the memories.The responses show some signs of a strengthened relationship with the machine, but the most predominant themes are the positive experiences created by a talking machine and the increased faith for the future. Experiments by young hobbyists were often unexpected and ingenious, which on the one hand tells about their open-minded attitude towards technology, and on the other hand about the lack of established uses for talking machines.

Prioritizing computer security controls for home users

Hundreds of thousands of home users are victimized by cyber-attacks every year. Most experts agree that average home users are not doing enough to protect their computers and their information from cyber-attacks. Improperly managed home computers can lead to individuals losing data, systems performing slowly, loss of identity, and ransom payments; en masse attacks can act in concert to infect personal computers in business and government. Currently, home users receive conflicting guidance for a complicated terrain, often in the form of anecdotal 'Top 10' lists, that is not appropriate for their specific needs, and in many instances, users ignore all guidance. Often, these popular ‘Top 10’ lists appear to be based solely on opinion. Ultimately, we asked ourselves the following: how can we provide home users with better guidance for determining and applying appropriate security controls that meet their needs and can be verified by the cyber security community? In this paper, we propose a methodology for determining and prioritizing the most appropriate security controls for home computing. Using Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) and subject matter expertise, we identify, analyze and prioritize security controls used by government and industry to determine which controls can substantively improve home computing security. We apply our methodology using examples to demonstrate its benefits.

Prioritizing computer security controls for home users

Hundreds of thousands of home users are victimized by cyber-attacks every year. Most experts agree that average home users are not doing enough to protect their computers and their information from cyber-attacks. Improperly managed home computers can lead to individuals losing data, systems performing slowly, loss of identity, and ransom payments; en masse attacks can act in concert to infect personal computers in business and government. Currently, home users receive conflicting guidance for a complicated terrain, often in the form of anecdotal 'Top 10' lists, that is not appropriate for their specific needs, and in many instances, users ignore all guidance. Often, these popular ‘Top 10’ lists appear to be based solely on opinion. Ultimately, we asked ourselves the following: how can we provide home users with better guidance for determining and applying appropriate security controls that meet their needs and can be verified by the cyber security community? In this paper, we propose a methodology for determining and prioritizing the most appropriate security controls for home computing. Using Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) and subject matter expertise, we identify, analyze and prioritize security controls used by government and industry to determine which controls can substantively improve home computing security. We apply our methodology using examples to demonstrate its benefits.

An Intelligent Approach for Virtual Chemistry Laboratory

Formal learning has shifted from the confines of institutional walls to our home computers and even to our mobiles. It is often felt that the concept of e-learning can be successfully applied to theoretical subjects but when it comes to teaching of science subjects like chemistry where hands on practical training is must, it is inadequate. This chapter presents a hybrid approach (amalgamation of concepts of machine learning technique with soft computing paradigm) to develop an intelligent virtual chemistry laboratory (IVCL) tool for simulating chemical experiments online. Tool presents an easy to use web based interface, which takes as input the reactants and presents results in the form of - type of reaction occurred and the list of possible products. Technically, the IVCL tool utilizes naïve bayes algorithm to classify the type of reactions and then applies genetic algorithm inspired approach to generate the products. Subsequently it employs system of equations method to balance the reactions. Experimental evaluations reveal that proposed IVCL tool runs with 95% accuracy.

Bits and Pieces

This book explores the development of and the social, cultural, and historical context of chiptune, a form of electronic music that emerged from the first generation of video game consoles and home computers in the 1980s. Through a combination of musical and procedural analysis and practitioner interviews, the book explores the role the technical constraints of early video game hardware played in shaping the sound of 8-bit video game music and the inventive approaches to coding and composition musicians used to circumvent them. It examines the sounds, culture, and personalities behind the music and shows how chiptune links as closely to the music of Bach as to the aggressive posturing of punk or the driving electronic sounds of house. The book begins by looking at chiptune’s roots in video game music and discusses how, as the sound chips that gave rise to its distinctive voice were superseded by more sophisticated hardware, chiptune moved underground to become an important part of the demoscene, a networked community of digital artists. It discusses chiptune’s reemergence in the late 1990s as a new wave of young musicians rediscovered these obsolete machines and began to use them as quirky and characterful musical instruments, in the process taking chiptune from the desktop and placing it centre stage. The book concludes by contemplating what lies ahead; as more people incorporate the chiptune sound into their work, will it ever hit the mainstream or will it remain firmly countercultural as part of the digital underground?